Is Junk Food Healthy?

Healthy means clean but clean is not absolutely health and nutritious. A fruit or food is clean physically yet it is not nutritive. People prefer to consume junk food compare to homemade food because of busy time. Fast food is clean but it’s not nutritious means not good for health. In advanced countries like US, Aussie, Europe, some others in ASIAN and Africans, the junk or fast food is preferable.

How is about junk food in Timor-Leste. Junk food has been introduced to this new country by foreigners business. There are a lot of restaurants offer fast food; hamburgers, pizza, some drinks and others; the newest fast food is burger king which is now available solely at Timor Plaza. Junk food is often high in sugar, salt, white flour, and fat, particularly saturated fat. It is often heavily processed and prepackaged, making it easy to prepare and consume. A few examples of foods often considered to be junk food include fast food, sweets such as ice cream, candy, donuts, and prepackaged treats, soda, and potato chips. In every pieces of fast food contained a lot of cholesterol, fat and gas. These elements do contribute to the diseases (high per tension, diabetes, stroke, heart disease, blood pressure and high cholesterol), premature aging and weight gain of one’s body.
The fast food is not much influenced up to the rural areas in Timor-Leste but it is much in Dili. It is recommended to not provide fast food in any other shape to the children

10 Commitments That Will Make You a Better Parent

Being a parent is tough. Most of us feel like we could do a better job, but resolving to be more patient rarely works. That's because sometimes the first step to being a better parent is actually about how we treat ourselves. We can only give what we have inside. And if we can't manage our own emotions, we can't expect our kids to learn to manage theirs.

Here are 10 Commitments that will make you a better parent – and a happier person.

1. Commit to taking care of yourself and staying centered so you can be the happy, patient, encouraging parent your child deserves.
That means integrating daily sustainable self-nurturing into your life: Go to bed earlier so you’re better rested, eat healthfully to maintain your mood, transform any inner negative voices into encouraging ones, and slow down your pace so you can enjoy your life. Most important of all is commit to manage yourself. When your emotions are deregulated, you’re in fight and your child looks like the enemy. Calm yourself before you engage with your child.
2. Commit to loving the one you’re with.
The one thing we know for certain about child development is that kids who feel loved and cherished thrive. That doesn’t mean kids who ARE loved – plenty of kids whose parents love them don’t thrive. The kids who thrive are the ones who FEEL loved and cherished for exactly who they are. Every child is unique, so it takes a different approach for that child to feel seen and loved. The hard work for us as parents is accepting who our child is, warts and all – and cherishing him or her for being that person, even while guiding behavior.
3. Commit to staying connected.
Separation happens. That’s why we have to repeatedly reconnect. Remember that quality time is about connection, not teaching, so it’s mostly unstructured. Hug your child first thing every morning and when you say goodbye. When you’re reunited later in the day, spend fifteen minutes solely focused on your child. (What do you do in that 15 minutes? Listen, commiserate, hug, roughhouse, laugh, listen some more.) Stop working before dinner time so you can devote your evening to your family. Eat dinner together. Have a chat and a silent snuggle at bedtime every night with each child.

4. Commit to role modeling respect.
Want to raise kids who are considerate and respectful, right through the teen years? Take a deep breath, and speak to them respectfully. Not always easy when you’re angry, so remember the cardinal rules of managing your emotions with kids: You’re the role model, don’t take it personally, and this too shall pass!

5. Commit to teaching emotional intelligence. In addition to modeling emotional self-management, we help kids learn to manage their emotions by:
• Teaching them to self-soothe. Contrary to what you may have heard, little ones don't learn to self-soothe by being left to cry. (That just creates an over-active amygdala and panic response later in life.) As anyone who has ever tried to calm herself down knows, soothing is a physiological process. When a baby cries and we soothe him, his body responds by sending out oxytocin and other soothing biochemical. What you see is that he calms down. What’s happening biologically is that he’s solidifying the neural pathways for these self-soothing hormones. That's how he develops the ability to soothe himself when he's upset.
• Giving them the message that their full range of feelings is understandable, even while their actions must be limited. (“You wish you could have a cookie”)
• Empathizing with their emotions.
• Listening to them when they have feelings to express. Occasionally this will take the form of words, and it helps to give kids words for their feelings: “You’re so mad!" But more often, children just need us to give them the safety of our loving presence while they cry or rage to vent their feelings. Often they won't be able to articulate what they're upset about, and it isn't necessary. But this helps kids learn to accept and process their emotions, so they can move past them rather than having to act on them. (That's what "acting out" means -- we act on our feelings rather than simply tolerating them as they sweep through us and dissipate.)

6. Commit to looking for the needs behind your child’s behavior.
Your kid has a reason for whatever he’s doing that displeases you. It might not be what you consider a good reason, but it’s what’s motivating his behavior. If yelling at him about his behavior was going to change it, which would have worked already. Only by addressing the underlying need we change a person’s behavior. Parents who address kids’ need pre-emptively by noticing problem areas (“Hmm….looks like she wants to choose her own clothes, even if they don’t match!”) are rewarded with kids who cooperate.

7. Commit to guidance rather than punishment.
Kids only behave to please us. When we constantly criticize and discipline, they harden their hearts to us. Parents who lead by loving example, address needs rather than focusing on misbehavior, redirect pre-emptively rather than punish (“You can throw the ball outside”), and set limits empathically (“You’re mad and sad, but we don’t hit. Let’s use your words to tell your brother how you feel”) end up with self-disciplined kids who WANT to behave.

8. Commit to remembering what’s important and an attitude of gratitude.
Stay positive and choose your battles. Every negative interaction with your child is uses up valuable relationship capital. Focus on what matters, such as the way your child treats her siblings. In the larger scheme of things, her jacket on the floor may drive you crazy, but it probably isn’t worth putting your relationship bank account in the red over. Be grateful for every single thing she does that you like, and you’ll find her doing lots more of those things.

9. Commit to radical self-acceptance and compassion.
Want to feel more love in your heart? Give it to yourself! Love is a verb. Yes, love can just happen – but we only make more (and feel more) by giving it away. And we can only give our children as much love as our own hearts can hold. Go ahead – stretch your heart. Every time you feel bad, for any reason, offer yourself love. You’ll be amazed how your life transforms.



Source: everywhere



10. Keep Perspective. Sure, your kids will make mistakes, and so will you. There are no perfect parents, no perfect children, and no perfect families. But there are families who live in the embrace of great love, where everyone thrives. The only way to create that kind of family is to make daily choices that take you in that direction. It's not magic, just the hard work of course correction to stay on the right path. But if you look for it, you can always find trail marks and support to beckon you onward to a more rewarding life. Just keep taking positive steps. Before you know it, you'll find yourself in a whole new landscape.

Life is a gift – Live it, enjoy it, celebrate it, and fulfill it

there was a blind girl who hated herself just because she was blind. She hated everyone, except her loving boyfriend. He was always t...here for her. She said that if she could only see the world, she would marry her boyfriend. One day, someone donated a pair of eyes to her and then she could see everything, including her boyfriend. Her boyfriend asked her, “now that you can see the world, will you marry me?”
The girl was shocked when she saw that her boyfriend was blind too, and refused to marry him. Her boyfriend walked away in tears, and later wrote a letter to her saying:
“Just take care of my eyes dear.”
This is how human brain changes when the status changed. Only few remember what life was before, and who’s always been there even in the most painful situations.
LIFE IS A GIFT
Today before you think of saying an unkind word–think of someone who can’t speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food–think of someone who has nothing to eat. Today before you think of saying an unkind word–think of someone who can’t speak.
Before you complain about the taste of your food–think of someone who has nothing to eat.
Before you complain about your husband or wife–think of someone who is crying out to God for a companion.Today before you complain about life–think of someone who went too early to heaven. Before you complain about your children–think of someone who desires children but they’re barren.
Before you argue about your dirty house, someone didn’t clean or sweep–think of the people who are living in the streets.
Before whining about the distance you drive–think of someone who walks the same distance with their feet.
And when you are tired and complain about your job–think of the unemployed, the disabled and those who wished they had your job.
But before you think of pointing the finger or condemning another–remember that not one of us are without sin and we all answer to one maker.
And when depressing thoughts seem to get you down–put a smile on your face and thank God you’re alive and still around.
Life is a gift – Live it, enjoy it, celebrate it, and fulfill it.

LACLUTA

 Geographic & Administrative

Lacluta is one of the sub district of Viqueque district which is located in southern part of East Timor. There are four villages in Lacluta, each village has sub villages: 1Ahik (Crarec Bocu, Hali Mean, Ai lo’oc, Cai Ua, Hali Oan), 2Dilor (Rade Uman, Boruc, Ai daac laran, Acadiruhun, Tula Oli), 3Laline (Aimetahun, Santo Antonio, Micradec, Fatu Cado, Mau Ama), 4Uma Tolu (Data metan, Tali oan, Ai Sucu Nuc, Crarec Maruc, Fahi Lain). Lacluta is boundary by Luca, Natarbora, Barique, Cribas and Kairui. The dialects in Lacluta are Tetum Terik, Mediki and Habu, but mostly people are speaking in Tetum Terik. Administratively Lacluta is governed by a sub district administrator which is native people. During the Indonesian time, the populations were all together in Lacluta town but after the independent, people have moved to several areas out of town such as Aitana Mountain, Aitara and some other area sub town to Lacluta. People are happier staying in mountain compare to the town as all they have are pure and original; water source, fresh and organic vegetables, food and fruits. People also search for prawn and fish in the river. People in Lacluta are building their house by coarse grass, bamboo and wood.

 Source of life

The major people live by agriculture products. Mostly people sustain their life by engage in gardens, paddy fields, the main production by farmers are cassava and banana, both commodities are harvested annually. There are a lot of agriculture products; paddy, taro, sweet potatoes, pine apples, watermelon, vegetables, candlenut, peanut, green bean, palm, beans, lemon, avocado, areca nut, coconut, papaya, and some other products. Also, people sustain their life from animal husbandries; buffalo, horse, pig, goats, crows, etc. The agriculture products and animals are sometimes sent to the capital for selling to get cash. However the cash flow is Lacluta is not fluid because people produce the same thing from the same area.

 Future Potential Resource

Monument inWeleur

Lacluta is a tropical area with two seasons; rainy and dry season. In the town of Lacluta, the weather is adjust with the seasons but in Aitana Mountain is keep humidity even in especially in dry season. Aitana Mountain is high has a historical as a hidden place by independent fighter during Indonesian occupation. There are two hot springs, one monument in Weleur and beautiful view along the street with green leaves. The old trees plant and the very fresh weather has made people are living such in their own paradise. In Lacluta town there is Bibileo Mountain which is very green and beautiful.

If the yields of the agriculture are managed modernity with the support conditions such as infrastructure and equipment; the people of Lacluta are able to create their own job however this is still a hope.

 Education and Religion in Lacluta

Mostly people of Lacluta are catholic but a fewer are protestant, Lacluta is not yet a parish however it has upgraded being pro parish with a native priest. In 2003 a mission from Portugal namely Comunidade Madre Santissima Trindade were based there till present. In the presence of them, the preschool was build and vitalized the education in Lacluta. There were just four elementary schools of each village but after the independence four additional primary schools have been functioned. With the spirit of Lacluta youth who were in Dili, together with the local communities and leaders, a private high school has been established as an optional for young people after junior high school, but the priority is to help family with insufficient economy and to provide more chance for Lacluta people in access to education. Even the students produced remotely with limited facilities and source but the result is satisfactory. This outcome has assisted student to easily access to the universities. The students are eligible on admission to the National University and being able to produce an academic people from the different background.

The development in Lacluta is not appeared yet; the bad road in town of Lacluta, uncontrolled environment by the local leader, the sub district administrative is not functioned well. As a data from ministry of finance, that none of the non-governmental organizations or aid are working in Lacluta because there is no strong base community to lead any activities. It is hope that the populations in Lacluta have knowledge enough to vote for the party that interest to their life and in the future election a new administrator has ability manage the budget allocation for the people’s life and has common sense of people needs.

Multimedia and the achievement of high school students

With the advancement of Science and Technology the various sectors of life have been affected including the education sector. Education is human being’s behavior. Education is the basic foundation for a human being acts. Informal education in the earliest age is an essential part of the education growth. Family is the main role and a unique core of the development of the behaviors.

Education from school institutions or formal education is mostly on academic performance. The education is Timor-Leste has undergone many changes in the last 12 years. Ones of the changes which have been speedily increased are multimedia usage such as internet, mobile phone and video game. These components are important medium for all people, especially the students. The education system in Timor-Leste was running traditionally but it has been gradually replaced with the multimedia tools.

During the Indonesian occupation in Timor-Leste, the education was still fairly traditional, it is still run manually, just a few of students who know multimedia and mostly who domiciled in capital, Dili. The mobile phone was just used by parents and business, games was limited to several groups and the internet just could be accessed by students and office workers. However, after the independence, many students from the elementary to higher students are experience of using refers tools, especially students in Dili.





In this century, the mobile phone usage and owning can be apply to all age of people, including students. Knowledge of media usage progressively has spread a lot of students and made a dependency in their learning both in school and outside of school. Mobile phone that has been equipped with advanced features such as games and the internet can be accessed easily and quickly, anytime and anywhere, situated students to the global or very modern life.

A big obstacle for education is ethical issue of students, academic achievement and the ability to refrain from the use of such media. In accordance with the results of the monitoring and information obtained from the teachers that the phone is held in some schools students found with the pornographic video which accidentally brought to share with some other students. The student learning is affected by these tools because they don’t focus on teaching and learning process but watching the video therefore their academic performance is not satisfactory. However, the media can help students to contact each other in terms of extracurricular at school or any assignments.

Internet is used to access the source of study instead of reading at library. Some students even bring their mobile phone which is equipped with the advanced featured into the class room for accessing the materials taught. The utilization of internet is benefited to the students in researching and applies in the real life.



A Private School in Tibar



There are some schools in Timor-Leste have their own policy on how to regulate the students using the multimedia tools. It is strictly regulate in private schools compare to the public schools. It is commonly known that numbers of students in public schools are double from the private schools and the regulation and obligation are not strong enough to manage the huge students. Even though both private and public schools are different, however the academic achievement totally depends to each of students. In order to prepare the maturity of each students, authoritarian are not much required, as teens are known as people with high-sense of social affairs. Parents and the schools administrators are obligated to monitor and control the students regularly. With the rules, policy and counseling from the schools and parents, it is expected that students are in zone of controlled.

The Challenge of Job Market Competition in Timor-Leste

Since the independent, Timor-Leste has received a lot of assistance from international communities, whether it is fund, equipment and capacity building. The international agencies, UN agencies and international non-governmental organization have been working on capacity building of human resources for the development of the nation. Billions of dollars have been pouring to the development of human resources through the difference of schemes; however the human resource is still less developed. At the international organization, the higher positions are occupied by international people and Timorese are at lower; assistant, associate, cleaner, security guards and gardener. People at lower positions were produced globally but lack of experience so the capability is not proved yet by the organization/ employment.
This situation also happens in the government organizations. Most of the high positions in the government are dominated by the people with international certification, with several acknowledgement of informal education, with proficiency in languages and skilled in computer programs. Those are categorized as skilled people as they are capable in technical skill, personal quality and widen connection. There is not much difficult for them to compete in labour market.
According to the Timor-Leste national statistic, the number of people who are competing in job market is increased rapidly every year, in the same time the unemployment rate is also increased. Even the government through the Secretary of State for the Vocational Training and Employment has dispatched many Timorese youth to South Korea and Australia every year but it does not reduce unemployment rate significantly. Timorese workers in Australia and South Korea are located in lower position as unskilled workers. The wages will be sent to the country; however they are no capable enough to be a manager when they return home, some case may happens but that is just relatively. It is clearly seen that the most company in Timor-Leste are managed by foreigners and Timorese are office staff with minor responsibility.
The job creation by Timorese people is still fewer compare to the foreigners in Timor-Leste, even just selling snacks in the streets, mostly occupied by foreigners; Indian, Indonesia, Vietnamese and other less development countries in ASIAN.
The major industrialization for job creation is in agriculture sector. But unfortunately, local people still manage the agriculture production by traditional manners so the yield of the product is not well utilized. The mindset of the agriculture is “harvest for eating or yields for selling to get money”. That is it. Even the agriculture is the major industry in contribution to the job creation however people are not interested in because there is no supporting sector such as infrastructure, matchmaking market, and distribution of product after harvesting. People are mostly compete in office affairs such as administration & finance, IT, engineering, education and training, secretary, accounting, and other positions related in offices. For these places, people is required to have enough skills and others abilities with trusted certificates in order to be selected by the employments.

Various efforts have been running by organizations and companies to build up the skills in order to have opportunity for self-employed but is still not appeared yet. The job creations by the public and private institutions are not sufficient to accommodate many people. Higher education, skills and some other competencies are essential to master enough in order to compete in the labour markets.

JICA in Timor-Leste

The government of Japan through the Japan International Cooperation Agency has been conducting its Official Development Assistance in Timor-Leste from 2000.The Official Assistance were covered grant aid, technical cooperation and equipment provision to the recipient government (Timor-Leste).

The priorities areas in Timor-Leste are aligned with the national strategic development plan such as:

 Infrastructure



Mola Bridge constructed by JICA







The major part of supporting has been allocated to Infrastructure areas. The construction of bridges, roads, dispatched consultants, experts, advisors and technical capacity to the engineering in the country also outside of country. The main counterpart of the projects implementation is National Directorate of Roads, Bridges and Flood Control, Institute of Equipment Management and Directorate of Research Development, under Ministry of Public Works. The projects with ministry of public works have terminated and currently there is just a policy advisor is working at the directorate of roads, bridges and flood control.



The Project for Water Supply System in Dili



The road project includes Dili-Baucau road which under the first loan to Timor-Leste, Japan Yen Loan.

JICA also considers the clean water as a most priority as a basic need of human being through the coordination of the line ministry, the project for improvement of water supply in Dili and some other districts were also improved by dispatching the experts and advisors to the directorate of water and sanitations. There are four water treatment plants in Dili, which were granted by JICA. WTP also constructed in Ainaro, Manufahi and Covalima Districts. 



Dili Port



To efficiently in area of sea transportation, JICA also supports to construct Dili Port and rehabilitated Mahata Port in Oecusse. The advisors were also dispatched by JICA to the Timor-Leste Port Authority (APORTIL) to accompany the technician and engineering for the maintenance and controlling. Dili Port is the main gate for export and import goods. After the rehabilitation of Oecusse Port, the operating is expanded; the containers will be delivered directly to Oecusse (but in small volume). The construction of Dili Port and the rehabilitation of Oecusse port have been completed and to assist on port facility maintenance and security there is an advisor is working at APORTIL, Dili.

The environmental impact assessment is also considered to be assisted in order to promote a clean environmental. The advisor has been dispatched twice to the national directorate of environment under ministry of commerce, industry and environment. Under the local activity of the advisor, there was a training conducted in Indonesia to 39 staff of environment directorate. The project has terminated in 2013.

In considering to the development of education and technology, since 2005 JICA has implemented a capacity development project to the National University of Timor-Leste which was named Capacity Development of Teaching staff at Faculty of Engineering (CADETES). Under this project, the lecturers were dispatched to enhance the technology and engineering science based on their specialist at the supported university designated by JICA. This project was successfully implemented and had a fruitful output. With this output the government of Japan has approved for the second phase called the Project for Capacity Development of Faculty of Engineering, Science and Technology (CADEFEST) which was commenced on 2011 and will be ended in 2015. Some of lecturers completed their master degree in Japan through these project and others lecturers improve their knowledge by attending short term training at universities cooperated with JICA. The project purpose is to prepare the capacity of the faculty to upgrade the level of degree from three years to four years bachelor degree.