During the holidays nine students from Sapphire Coast Anglican College undertook an eight-day trip to the Natabora region of East Timor.
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The students travelled with the president, vice president and secretary of the Bega Valley Advocates for Timor Leste.
Over the week they braved intimidating roads to visit 10 schools in order to take part in cultural, sporting and educational activities.
A SCAC spokesperson said what the students discovered could not be learnt in books or from the Internet and in so many ways was a life-changing experience.
They said the joy seen on the faces of the Timorese people as the Sapphire Coast students sang to them in English and Tetan brought tears to the eye.
“These students were true ambassadors and advocates of the Bega Valley and Australia,” the spokesperson said.
“Although the Australian government has on many occasions disregarded the Timorese people and our relationships with them, the close ties numerous friendship groups around Australia have with Timor certainly shows that the Australian people truly care for our northern neighbours.
“The Bega Valley with its 12-year relationship, hundreds of thousands of dollars input, continuing contribution to infrastructure, education, women’s work and culture, clearly show the people of Bega are outward looking, involved and care for the people of East Timor.
“It was wonderful to again see the progress made by the Timorese Government, its people and the education system from only two years ago,” the spokesperson said.
“As a young and growing democracy it was a privilege to get involved, on so many levels with a country which is one of our closest neighbours.”
Sapphire Coast Anglican College thanked Tarra Motors Bega as well as the Bega and Merimbula Rotary Clubs for their donations used to purchase sporting equipment to be given to each school the students visited.
Meanwhile, every year some SCAC students start their first donation to the mobile blood bank.
A lifetime of commitment often results from encouraging young people to donate.
The passion, commitment and generosity of the community to give up their time and a half litre of blood enables the Red Cross to continue to save lives across the country.
The mobile blood bank will visit the netball court carpark on Carp St, Bega in August.
It will be there on August 8 from 12pm-4.15pm, August 9 and 10 from 10.30am-5.45pm, August 11 from 8.30-3.45pm and August 12 from 8.30am-11.45am. Have three or four glasses of water in the hours before you donate, have a good-sized breakfast or lunch and bring ID.