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Timor-Leste

First Aid project in Timor-Leste

The Japanese Red Cross Society (JRCS) has been supporting the First Aid (FA) projects (FA skills, Cardio-Pulmonary Resuscitation (CPR), infectious disease prevention, etc.), implemented by the Red Cross (Red Crescent) Society in Timor-Leste, Palau, and Pakistan.

Up to now, the JRCS has been providing mannequins, bandages and manuals for FA training courses. The JRCS has also trained FA trainers of those Societies who can teach FA skills tofor the public. Furthermore, with lots of experiences and knowledge the JRCS has achieved so far in Japan, it has sent the JRCSfirst aidFA trainers from Japan to those countries in order to providegive specific advice and guidance. This year also, for one month since February, Mr. Yasuyuki Yoshikawa, the JRCS FA master trainer from the JRCS Aomori Chapter was sent to Timor-Leste.

The Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste

Mr. Yoshikawa attended the first aidFA training course organized by the Red Cross Society of Timor-Leste (CVTL). "This training was done for six days by camp training-camp style. Even though there were power failures, participants practiced first aidFA over and over again, every night by using candles. Every one of them engaged oin the training with positive attitudesly."

"What I wanted them to have as trainers was the 'insight'. In order to become a good trainer, it is necessary to possess the an insight of finding the differences of practices of peopleabilitiesy in people. For example,the way to fold the cravat bandage quickly, if someone cannot do well at folding a triangular the cravat bandage quickly, the trainer should figure out why he or she cannot do it and give proper advice to him or her. If someone is good at it, the trainer will figure out why he or she is good at it and have them acquire the technique. I want them to have that skill. I repeatedly train them in this way." With the enthusiasm of the participants and precise advice by Mr. Yoshikawa, twelve out of fourteen participants became recognized as first aidFA trainers through this training course. As a result, this allowed it makes thatat least one trainer to beis assigned into each ofall the thirteen provinces of Timor-Leste.

On the other hand, there are some challenges for future first aidFA project of the CVTL. At present, since the CVTL has no master trainersinstructors who have enough experiences and knowledge to train first aid trainers, those master trainersinstructors have been sent from the Indonesian Red Cross Society. Also as the CVTL is not able to supply their own first aidFA manuals, they use onethe manuals of the Indonesian Red Cross Society.

According to Mr. Yoshikawa, sinceafter Timor-Leste has becoame independent from Indonesia, people, especially among young people, there are less and less people, especially among the young, who comprehend the Indonesian language. in each year. First aidFA manuals written in their Tetung language will be needed in the near future. Also for the same reason, master trainersinstructors who can train first aidFA trainers needs to be provided by the CVTL on their own. Public security in Timor-Leste is still unstable and the emergency medical services aisre not enough. Therefore, in any situations, people in communities need to support and take care of each other. In such situation, it is very important for the Red Cross to increase public awareness towards FAfirst aid.