Here are some of our key achievements:
SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAM: BMETS provide scholarships for young people to attend university, particularly helping women with leadership potential. More than 300 people have benefited from the BMETS scholarship program, 85% women and girls. Some are now in jobs such as community development work, financial and business management, one is a registered doctor, while others are back in their villages teaching and helping establish schools and preschools. We are particularly proud that one graduate was now a senior leader in the Timorese government; another a University lecturer at Dili Institute of Technology (DIT) and another is the co-director of Timor’s first feature film Beatriz's War, many are working in women’s NGOs and several have gone on to study at Masters level overseas. Most of our graduates would have had no opportunity to study without our support. This program is now administered with the assistance of the Alola Foundation.
HATOBUILICO SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL: We have supported the School since its establishment in 2012, educating approximately 1,000 young people who previously would have had to leave home to attend Senior High School. The school does not yet get government funding and we continue to assist by paying a stipend to the volunteer teacher's (14 teachers), paying burseries for poor families, contributing IT equipment and IT security, providing an annual allocation for sports & music equipment, providing funding for curriculum materials, pens and notebooks, and a wide range of resources as requested by the school community. In 2025 we built a Library for the school community as well as a teacher’s staff room.
TAUREME PRIMARY SCHOOL: This remote area built a small tin school initially to allow children to lrearn locally instead of the 2 hour daily walk to Hatobuilico vila. In 2015 we assisted with funds for the construction of a four-classroom building, toilets, kitchen & teacher accommodation. We then raised the funds to enable rebuild and repairs after two devastating storms. We continue to provide school equipment & resources and appreciate that the Government has taken responsibility for the school administration including teacher’s salaries. In 2025 we built a Preschool at the request of the community.
HATOBUILICO WOMEN’S DEVELOPMENT PROJECT: We have supported eight women’s groups to gain independent income through small businesses, such as, making hand woven tais to machine sewn school bags, raising pigs, growing vegetables, selling coffee and noodles to pilgrims, embroidering tablecloths, making ornamental flowers and baking bread. Women from these groups also attend an annual two day Women’s Leadership and Training Forum with over 80 women coming from across the sub-district. Mana Josefina Perreira receives a wage from BMETS to support the development of the groups. BMETS have assisted the construction of 3 women’s centres - in Mauchiga, Tatiri and Nunomogue.