What better way than to stand on a stage surrounded by 38 young shouting Timorese to celebrate that they are the 100th recipient of a Permafund grant since we started handing them out 15 years ago.
We were attending the first International Permaculture Youth Convergence held in Timor-Leste last October and this group is from the Aileu Resource & Training Centre, (ARTC) not far from the capital Dilli. They received a grant of AU$3,200 from Permafund to allow 8 of their members to attend the event and take knowledge back to their community to implement what they’d learnt.
The Aileu Resource and Training Centre (ARTC) was established as a registered NGO in 2005 with the aim of providing education and training for people of Aileu, Timor-Leste. It serves a vital role, offering adult learning opportunities integrated with development of cultural expression, environmental protection and improved livelihoods, always supporting women’s development and participation. This approach is designed to respond to local needs and conditions, and to build on people’s existing capabilities in a largely subsistence farming community.
Both ARTC and Permafund have a connection to the first Permaculture NGO in Timor Leste, Permatil. Ego Lemos and Lachlan McKenzie, along with others, for 25 years have steered Permatil to play a prominent role in this new nation’s future at a high Government level in the areas of Education, Water Management and Youth Engagement.
President of Timor-Leste Ramos Horta and Permatil legend Ego Lemos
This first international youth gathering was organised by Permatil and Permatil Global. Both Permaculture Australia and Permafund are very proud to have supported this event and continue the long beneficial relationship we share.
Reflecting on our 100th grant recipient takes me back to the start of Permafund 15 years ago at a meeting held in Katoomba in the Blue Mountains. “What does good Permaculture Aid and Development look like?” was the question asked. “Let’s find out” was the response, so we formed a volunteer committee and settled on offering a small grant round of amounts up to AU$2000 every year to Permaculture aligned NGOs most in need. Our 100 plus grants have seen funds sent to 19 countries throughout Australasia and the Pacific as well as the Asian and African continents.
There are many opportunities for growth in Permafund including to research the ‘lessons learnt’ from our over 100 applicants to answer the question we first asked ….”What works?” The story of Permatil operating as a small NGO to be now sitting at the table, participating in Timor Leste’s future is a lesson we can all learn from.
Permafund member Jasper Simmons facilitating a workshop
What we’ve also learnt is that Bill Mollison’s vision of spreading the concept of permaculture globally through a 72 hour Design Certificate Course has been successful. We’ve made contact with hundreds of NGOs and individuals from their native country that took that PDC and acted locally following their course.
The success of Permafund can be attributed to two important ingredients – a dedicated group of volunteers to carry out the workload and to you, our donors. Without your generous contributions we can’t do the work we do and apply the ethic of FAIR SHARE. The donation figures continue to grow and are a testament to us at Permafund that you value our integrity in the work we do……thank you.
John Champagne in front the of the Permafund stand at the IPYC
John Champagne
Permafund Chair on behalf of all past and present Permafund members.
Donations to Permaculture Australia’s Permafund can be made here.
You can meet hundreds of permaculture people at the national Permaculture Convergence [APC]! We welcome permies from all over Australia and the Australasian region. Different local groups have hosted in different parts of Australia. We plan an event that brings the whole permaculture community together to be inspired and connected – help us to get the right mix, with your answers, thanks.
Also … If you are part of a local permaculture group, or community garden or similar, you can share this invite with them as well. This survey closes 14 December 2025. We will keep you up to date with how these plans progress, and we look forward to welcoming you to the APC with open arms and bright expectations.
I arrived in Timor-Leste with a mix of excitement and exhaustion. At the airport, we were greeted by the most relaxed border officials I’ve ever met, smiling broadly, waving us through, and apologising for the 1990s computers that couldn’t quite load the digital arrival forms. The internet was patchy, everyone confused, but their warmth made up for it. As the afternoon “home time” for the border officers approached, one simply shrugged and said, “No worries, just go.” Outside, the friendly young Edison from the Permatil team welcomed us to his country. We gathered in the shade, melting in the tropical heat, and began to meet some of our fellow IYPC participants, each one from a different corner of the permaculture world. There was Michael and Curtis from Jagun alliances on the Northern Rivers, Aboriginal fire practitioners. Finn from Adelaide, a fresh PDC graduate and friend of Lachlan McKenzie, who carried his excitement like a seed ready to germinate. Sandhān from Bangalore, linked with Aranya Permaculture, handed out delicate seed-paper business cards. We were soon ushered into a minivan, unsure of where we were headed, the sense of mystery part of the charm. After nearly meeting our fate at a chaotic roundabout, we all laughed, realising: yes, we’d truly arrived in Southeast Asia. A quick supermarket stop revealed an amusing discovery, beer cheaper than water. Naturally, we toasted to being here, representing our communities and hard work back home.
The Warm Welcome at Centro Tibar
Our accommodation turned out to be at Centro Tibar, a secondary education college with a vibrant atmosphere and smiling volunteers who greeted us like long-lost friends. We were shown to our dormitories and met Thomas, another German working with Permatil. Dinner brought us together in the student built canteen, a mix of laughter, fatigue, and storytelling. The school’s owner, Simon, joined us and shared tales about the land and why goats were casually roaming the school grounds. Dinner was a simple and delicious buffalo curry with rice followed by sweet milk bananas, fresh mangoes, and maize for dessert. That night, I fell asleep to the whir of the fan motor and the soft crowing of distant roosters, a foreign sound that somehow felt familiar.
First Morning in Timor
Morning light brought life in motion, brooms sweeping verandas, hoses washing concrete, and students greeting me with eager smiles.
Centro Tibar impressed me. Students came from across Timor to study here, supported by government funding and international partnerships with Germany and Korea among them..
Breakfast was served at the hospitality bar and café, where I had my first taste of Timor coffee, smooth, earthy, and absolutely divine. The café was decked out in festive decorations, each corner hiding another curious trinket.
Into Dili – Meeting the Permatil Team
Later that day, we travelled into Dili to visit the Permatil office. There we met Lachlan McKenzie who gave us an introduction to the organisation’s incredible community projects, and Ego’s wife, who kindly welcomed us into their home. The conversations flowed about soil, water, youth, and the quiet revolution of permaculture taking root across Timor.
Short History of Permatil and Permatil Global in Timor-Leste
Permatil (Permaculture Timor-Leste) was founded in 2001 by a group of passionate local educators, farmers, and youth leaders including Ego Lemos who saw the urgent need to restore degraded land and rebuild food security after the country’s independence. Emerging from the devastation of war, Permatil became one of the first grassroots organisations to apply permaculture principles to healing both the land and the people.
Through school gardens, community training, and local resource mapping, Permatil pioneered a “whole village” approach, integrating water management, soil restoration, agroforestry, and traditional knowledge. It worked closely with schools and youth to develop the Permaculture in Schools program, which is now part of the national education curriculum across Timor-Leste.
Over the years, Permatil’s work spread through all 13 districts, training thousands of teachers and farmers, establishing demonstration sites, and promoting the permaculture ethics of Earth Care, People Care, and Fair Share.
In 2018, Permatil helped launch Permatil Global, an international network connecting Timorese permaculture experience with global partners. Its aim is to share tropical permaculture knowledge, support youth leadership, and link climate-resilient projects across Asia-Pacific, Africa, and beyond.
Today, Permatil and Permatil Global stand as leading examples of how local wisdom and global collaboration can regenerate landscapes, empower youth, and strengthen community resilience.
In that moment, it struck me: this wasn’t just a conference. It was a living network of people growing hope: one seed, one smile, one story at a time. Tadeius, Ego’s son, made me a necklace, a gesture that melted my already warm heart.
Timor-Leste: Struggle, Resistance, and Prospects
Timor-Leste (East Timor) was colonised by Portugal for over 400 years, remaining largely neglected until the 20th century. After Portugal’s withdrawal in 1975, Timor-Leste declared independence, but within days, Indonesia invaded and occupied the country. The 24-year occupation was marked by widespread violence, famine, and human rights abuses.
ACCORDING TO OFFICIAL INDONESIAN STATISTICS, TIMOR-LESTE HAD 653,211 INHABITANTS IN 1974.
IN 1978, THE FIGURE HAD DROPPED TO 498,433 INHABITANTS.
THIS MEANS THAT TIMOR-LESTE HAD LOST MORE THAN 23% OF ITS POPULATION IN THE FIRST FOUR YEARS OF INDONESIAN OCCUPATION!
Despite the odds, the Timorese people waged a remarkable campaign of armed, underground, and diplomatic resistance. Figures like Xanana Gusmão, José Ramos-Horta, and Bishop Carlos Belo became international symbols of their struggle, earning the Nobel Peace Prize (1996) for bringing attention to their cause. In 1999, under UN supervision, the Timorese voted overwhelmingly for independence, a decision met with violent retaliation by pro-Indonesian militias before UN peacekeepers restored order.
Timor-Leste regained full independence in 2002, becoming one of the world’s newest nations. Today it faces challenges of poverty, unemployment, and oil dependence, but remains a resilient democracy with strong community spirit and rich cultural identity. The nation invests in education, agriculture, and youth empowerment, and is building new partnerships across the Asia-Pacific. Its people’s enduring values of resistance, solidarity, and self-reliance continue to shape a hopeful path toward sustainable development and peace.
IYPC 2025 – Planting water, growing communities
BRINGING YOUTH, ENVIRONMENT, ARTS, CULTURE AND MUSIC TOGETHER IN ONE EVENT
As we were greeted by the village elders and Permatil volunteers, we connected with more people arriving from all over the world while chewing on a beetle nut seed. Slowly getting used to the much slower pace of Timor time, we waited in the shade of the handcrafted bamboo structures. The camp was separated into three sections one for men, for women and one for couples. Compost toilets and bucket showers were provided for the participants, the camp kitchen and servery was all crafted from bamboo and palm leaves.
The site was prepared with swales, terraces, retention ponds and a new research facility that captures data from the local spring to measure the flow and impact, permaculture water restoration at work. The research is undertaken by the university of New South Wales lead by Martin Andersen.
Permaculture Conference Experiences in Timor-Leste
Since the early 2000s, Permatil and its partners have hosted several Youth Permaculture Conferences (YIPC) and training camps in Timor-Leste, designed to empower young people to become leaders in regenerative agriculture, community resilience, and climate action.
The first youth gatherings emerged soon after independence, as part of Permatil’s education outreach in schools and communities. These early programs focused on practical skills, seed saving, composting, and water management, while helping youth reconnect with traditional land wisdom.
By the mid-2010s, these evolved into more structured Youth Permaculture Conferences, drawing participants from across Timor-Leste and neighbouring countries. The conferences became platforms for cross-cultural learning, where local and international youth shared solutions for reforestation, food security, and sustainable livelihoods.
Workshops were held in schools, farms, and community training centres, combining hands-on permaculture design with music, art, and cultural exchange. Many alumni went on to start community gardens, school projects, and youth-led NGOs, extending the conference’s impact across rural and urban Timor.
Supported by Permatil Global, these youth conferences now form part of a wider international network connecting young people from Asia-Pacific, Africa, and beyond, continuing Timor’s legacy as a living classroom for permaculture education, peace-building, and resilience.
Presidential Support for Youth and Water Conservation
During his visit to the International PermaYouth Convergence in Gleno, Ermera organised by Permatil under the leadership of Ego Lemos, President José Ramos-Horta expressed strong admiration for youth-led efforts in water conservation and sustainable management.
Addressing the more than 800 participants from 17 countries, the President emphasised that “water is the most essential resource for our community, for agriculture, for the environment, and for our daily lives.” He praised the spring restoration projects that have already revived over 600 water sources nationwide, calling them a model of community collaboration and ecological citizenship.
Ramos-Horta urged for the expansion of water restoration programs across all regions and encouraged the world to see Timor-Leste not through the lens of hardship, but as a beacon of innovation, sustainability, and youth leadership.
His presence at the Convergence reaffirmed the State’s commitment to environmental sustainability and the empowerment of young people as key drivers of a resilient and green future for Timor-Leste.
Issues Around Seasonal Work, Exploitation, and Skills Gaps in Timor-Leste
In my time during the camp I spoke to many young Timorese about seasonal work. It was a highly contentious topic among the communities. In recent years, thousands of young Timorese have left their communities to work in Australia and other Pacific countries under labour mobility programs. These opportunities promise higher income and financial support for families back home, yet they have also revealed serious social and economic challenges for Timor-Leste.
Economic Opportunity and Social Cost
Seasonal work offers wages far beyond what is available domestically, providing much-needed remittances for rural families. However, the loss of young labourers has left gaps in local agriculture, education, and trades, particularly in the countryside. Many villages struggle to maintain food gardens or local enterprises as their most capable youth seek work abroad.
Exploitation and Limited Protection
Reports from Australia and other host countries highlight cases of exploitation, underpayment, poor housing conditions, and excessive working hours. Workers often face cultural and language barriers and have limited access to legal or union support. For many, the dream of earning a better life comes with emotional strain, isolation, and risk.
Lack of Training and Skills Development
A deeper issue lies in the lack of vocational and agricultural training within Timor-Leste. Many workers depart without strong technical, financial, or language preparation, making them more vulnerable to exploitation and less able to translate their experience into local enterprise upon return. The result is a cycle of dependency, where youth continue leaving instead of building sustainable livelihoods at home.
The Need for Regenerative Solutions
Addressing this issue requires investment in local education, permaculture, and vocational training that empowers youth to create meaningful work in Timor-Leste. Programs like those led by Permatil and Permatil Global show how training in food production, eco-enterprise, and land restoration can strengthen communities and reduce the need for migration.
Ultimately, the goal is not to stop mobility but to transform it into empowerment, where returning workers bring home new skills, fair experiences, and the confidence to grow Timor-Leste’s future from within.
As the days unfolded, the dry season heat pressed down like a second skin, yet the energy of the PermaYouth Convergence only grew stronger. The air pulsed with loud music, laughter, and the scent of and charcoal grills, where volunteers served plate after plate of spicy Timorese dishes: rice, beef stew, cassava, pork and mangoes and pineapple so sweet they silenced conversation.
Amid the dust and rhythm, hundreds of conversations bloomed; between farmers and students, elders and youth, activists and dreamers. Friendships crossed languages and continents; ideas sprouted like seeds carried by wind. In every handshake,coffee and meal, late-night jam sessions, the shared vision of a greener, fairer world took root a little deeper.
By the time we parted, it was clear: these were not just conference connections. They were the beginnings of a global family, united by planting water, song, and the unshakable belief that regeneration starts with us.
Our role as Youth Ambassadors feels clear now: to weave connections between people and communities, to tell our stories with courage, and to amplify the spirit of permaculture wherever we go. Let’s keep inspiring others and stay open to being inspired ourselves.
Sincerely,
Felix Leibelt
Youth Ambassador and Board Director Permaculture Australia My location: Dharawal, Jerrinja tribal land, South Coast NSW M: 0412 361 165 E: felix.leibelt@permacultureaustralia.org.au
About the Author:
Felix Leibelt is a South Coast-based permaculture designer and the founder of Geco Gardens. He loves building living systems that care for people and the planet. As a Youth Ambassador for Permaculture Australia, he’s focused on connecting communities, sharing real stories, and inspiring others to grow change from the ground up.
Eight organisations in the Asia Pacific region were awarded Permafund grants in the 2025 grant round. Recipients came from countries around the region including Timor Leste, Bangladesh, Myanmar, the Philippines and the Solomon Islands. The wide range of projects shows that permaculture is being implemented in ways that improve the natural environment as well as food security, as summarised below:
Asharprodip Somaj Unnyan Songstha (ASUS) community circle Bangladesh
Expanding ASUS’s permaculture activities in Sundarban coastal region of Bangladesh.
Friends of Wildlife, Myanmar
Ensuring the sustainability of a Community Conservation Committee in Southern Bago Yoma, Myanmar, through Human-Elephant Conflict (HEC) mitigation and livelihood support.
ALEY-NM, Philippines
Promotion of permaculture among Higaonon youth leaders in 5 villages in Mindanao.
Sustainable Energy and Enterprise Development for Communities, Inc (SEED4Com), Philippines
Equipping women, youth, and smallholder farmers of Sibugay, Cebu City, with practical skills in producing organic fertilisers aligned with permaculture principles.
Metsa Foundation, Philippines
Metsa Foundation for women in the Philippines
Creating closed-loop permaculture systems for food security and waste management using black soldier fly & chickens.
Baetona Farmers Association, Solomon Islands
Taro patch & trellises Baetona Farmers’ Association Solomon Islands
Promoting increased consumption of local and nutritious foods, and improved incomes of rural women.
Aileu Resource and Training Centre (ARTC), Timor Leste
International PermaYouth Convergence delegates
Assisting with Kadalak Dame garden project workers’ participation in the first International PermaYouth Convergence and follow-up activities in their district.
Permatil Global Inc.
Earthworks workshop at IPYC
Providing support to the organisation of the inaugural International PermaYouth Convergence, Timor Leste
Thanks to the generous donations we received this year, we are able to assist these grassroots initiatives to grow a better future for their communities. Watch this space for reports from the projects over the coming months.
The Vocational Education Training Circle of Permaculture Australia has designed a Certificate II Permaculture course for delivery to high school students.
They are in the final stages of gaining approval for a pilot delivery of it, and they would really like some volunteers to read the course and give feedback.
Volunteers will need a PDC or equivalent. There are four clusters and each one focuses on a different aspect of permaculture practice, so you could choose your own area of expertise and interest.
There is a lot of jargon in the system, so it helps if you have some experience within the VET or school systems, but is not essential if you are willing to read past it all.
Cluster One – Working in Ecological Services – we are looking for permies with expertise in bush or degraded site regeneration work.
Cluster Two – Know your Bioregion – has a unit in it called “Report on Country”. We are particularly looking for people with expertise in working within indigenous knowledge frameworks.
Cluster Three – Basics of Food Production – this cluster focuses on food production in school or community gardens
Cluster Four – Obtain a Yield – has a unit in it called “Work Effectively in Permaculture”, which explores the range and variety of vocations available, including arts, food, environment, construction, and energy.
For more information, and to express your interest in being a part of this exciting development, please contact the VET circle at: vet@permacultureaustralia.org.au
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