Dili, 26 July 2010 - As the first woman to become a driver for the United Nations in Timor-Leste, Ligia Tavares Correia hopes that she will be able to learn many new things in her day-to-day work life.

"I was happy and proud when I was given the responsibility of becoming a driver for this huge institution. I've never had anything like this in my life. I know I am the only woman at this moment working as a driver, but this will not dampen my spirit and dedication to my work."

The idea of women as an under-valued group in the community actually encouraged Ligia to become a driver.
"I knew that a lot of people would talk about the fact that I wanted to become a driver. On this, I would like to say that, whatever the role, women are also capable, and women are able to compete with men in this era of globalization."

Ligia wants to encourage her fellow women to believe in themselves and to take on roles that are currently dominated by men. She has taken a big step for the development and participation of women in Timor-Leste, even though her role is just as a driver.

Mikiko Tanaka, the UNDP Country Director applauds Ligia's achievement, "There is always a pioneer that opens up new horizons for the world to progress. Ligia is that pioneer for the United Nations and the broader society in Timor-Leste, to open up this area of employment often thought of by many as only possible for men. UNDP management and the male co-drivers will work together with her to create the example and acceptance for other women in the future to enter into this profession."

Ligia worked for the Police Traffic Unit in Dili in 2002. But only a year later she was not able to continue in her position because of family reasons. This decision had a significant impact on her life, and role as a mother to one boy and three girls.

Ligia was in a difficult position; however she never stopped believing that she could find an alternative to support herself. Seeing that there had been economic development in the period, following the crisis in 2005 and 2006, she began performing simple tasks at a carpenter's workshop in Bidau Lecidere, which usually employs up to five men. Feeling that this work did not have sufficient financial benefits, she decided to seek work which would use her skills as a driver. Despite knowing well that this type of work was typically done by men, Ligia nevertheless submitted her application to UNDP.

As far as her experience went, Ligia was certainly the most appropriate candidate for the position of driver, and for that reason she was selected by UNDP.

"I learned to drive with my father in 1984." Ligia said, on her first day of work at UNDP.

Ligia, as a female driver, feels that there should be opportunities for both men and women in this type of work. "Why can't women become drivers?" Ligia asks, in response to talk in the community that it is not possible for women to do 'men's work'.

Ligia's questions are at the fore of discussions in society regarding the participation of women in the development process. The community's understanding of the role of women is that they should be obedient to men, and that the work of women is to stay at home looking after the children and doing housework. This culture has been handed down from generation to generation.

Ligia said that the biggest obstacle she faced was her understanding of English, the official language of the United Nations institution.

"Nobody is born perfect, neither men nor women. Everything is gained through a process of learning. Even though I am not perfect, I feel that I can learn this language."

Ligia's self-assurance is a positive example for other women that they can do anything they want to if they believe in themselves and seek to learn about things that they do not yet know.

Ligia Tavares Correia, who is 39 years old, comes from Ermera. In her free time she participates in normal community life, and helps her eldest son, who runs the small family business, delivering teak wood, that she had started before coming to work as a driver for UNDP.

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Ligia Tavares Correia,
Feto primeiru Timor Leste nebe sai kondutor ba Nasoens Unidas

DIli, 26 Jullu 2010 - Nudar feto primeiru nebe mak sai kondutor iha ajensia bo'ot iha Nasoens Unidas ne'e, Ligia Tavares Correia espera katak nia sei bele aprende buat foun iha ninia vida servisu loron loron." Hau senti kontenti no orgulho tebes wainhira hau hetan responsabilidade atu sai kondutor iha instisuisaun bo'ot hanesan ne'e. Buat ne'e nungka akontese iha hau nia vida. Maske hau hatene katak hau mak uniku feto nebe oras ne'e sai kondutor maibe ida ne'e sei la impata hau nia ispiritu atu didika hau nia an ba servisu ne'e".

Konseiptu hodi jeneraliza feto sai hanesan grupu kikoan nebe laiha funsaun iha komunidade nia let fo korajem ba Ligia hodi avansa nia an ba oin maske sai kondutor. "Hau hatene ema barak sei dehan hau, tamba sa mak hau hakarak sai kondutor. Iha ne'e hau hakarak atu dehan no atu fo mos justifikasaun ba ita hotu katak servisu saida deit feto mos bele halo e feto mos pronto atu kompete ho mane iha era globalizasaun hanesan agora ne'e" Ho lian makas Ligia fo sai nia sentimentu nudar feto atu bele fanun nia feto maluk sira seluk atu sira mos bele fo konfiansa ba sira nia an hodi halao servisu nebe mak oras ne'e maioria domina husi ema mane.

Direitora PNUD Timor Leste, Mikiko Tanaka fo ninia elogia ba alkasamentu ne'e hodi dehan "Ida ne'e sempre iha pioneiru nebe atu loke vizaun foun ida ba dezevolve mundu nian. Ligia mak pioneiru Nasoen Unidas nian no mos ba comunidade bo'ot iha Timor Leste, hodi loke area ba empregu nebe sempre sai ema barak nia hanoin katak iha posibilidae deit ba mane. Managementu PNUD no kolega kondutor mane sira sei servisu hamutuk ho nia atu kria nudar ezemplu ida hodi hahu'u atu feto seluk iha futuru mai hodi tama iha profisaun ne'e.

Ligia, nebe uluk haknar nia an iha Unidade transitu Dili hanesan polisia iha tinan 2002, fo nia espasu bo'ot ba prosesu dezenvolvimentu no partisipasaun feto nian iha prosesu dezenvolvimentu ne'e maske nia sai deit kondutor bain bain. Iha 2003 liu deit tinan ida depois nia sai Polisia iha seksaun Unidade Transitu nian nia labele ona atu kuntinua nafatin nia servisu nudar Polisia Timor Leste tamba situsasaun familia nian nebe la permiti ona nia atu ezisti nafatin hanesan polisia transitu. Impaktu husi desizaun hodi husik hela nia servisu nudar polisia afeta makas ba nia vida moris nudar inan ida husi oan mane ida no feto tolu.

Ligia, maske iha situasaun nebe defisil fo fiar nafatin ba nia an hodi buka alternativa seluk atu hatutan nia moris. Hare katak iha mudansa ba situasaun ekonomia rai laran depois krizi 2005 no 2006, Ligia hahu'u ninia servsiu simples oan ida liu husi vida karpentaria nebe nia fo servisu ba ema mane kuaze nain 5 iha ninia hela fatin Bidau Lecidere. Senti katak servisu karpintaria ne'e la dun fo benefisia makas ba ninia vida ekonomia, Ligia foti desisaun hodi buka servisu fali iha fatin seluk nebe nia senti katak bele uza nia kapasidade nebe mak iha hanesan kondutor. Maske nia hatene an katak servisu ne'e servisu nebe ligadu tiha ona ho ema mane nia servisu, Ligia fo nafatin esperansa atu hatama nia aplikasaun ba iha UNDP.

Iha selesaun ba dokumentus nebe mak iha, Ligia sai nudar ema nebe mak iha duni kunshementu klean ba area kondutor nian, to ikus nia duni mak selesianadu atu sai duni kondutor ba UNDP"Hau hatene lori kareta liu husi hau nia Pai e ne'e hahu'u kedas iha tinan 1984" konfesa Ligia iha loron primeiru wainhira sai kondutor ba UNDP.

Maske nudar feto mak sai kondutor, Ligia la senti katak servisu ne'e iha spasu entre ema mane no feto. "Nusa mak ema feto labele sai kondutor?" Ligia oferese nia perguntas ne'e hodi hatan ba rumoris nebe espalha iha comunidade nia let nebe hateten katak feto labele duni atu halao servisu mane nian.

Perguntas Ligia nian nudar perguntas geral nebe oras ne'e sai debates publiku iha sosiadade nia let kona ba involvimentu feto nian iha prosesu dezenvolvimentu ne'e. Kumprensaun komunidade nian to ohin loron konsidera feto hanesan hirarkia nebe sempre obdese an ba mane no feto nia servisu maka hein labarik no hare sasan iha uma sai tiha ona kultura nebe daet ba mai husi jerasaun ba jerasaun.

Nia hatene katak obstaklu nebe mak agora sai problema ba nia mak kumprensaun ba lingua ingles nudar lingua ofisial iha servisu Nasoin Unidas nia instituisaun."Laiha ema nebe mak moris mai nia prefeitu kedas atu mane ka feto hanesan deit. Buat hotu sei liu husi prosesu aprendesisagen. Ho tempu nebe mak iha maske la prefeitu tebes hau sei bele aprende lingua ne'e" ho korajem no fiar nebe mak Ligia kuda ba nia an nudar sinal positivu ba feto maluk sira katak buat hotu nebe mak ita ema halo sei iha nia resultadu nebe diak se ita fo fiar ba ita nia an rasik atu hatene no aprende husi buat nebe mak ita seidauk hatene.

Ligia Tavares Correia, nebe oras ne'e ho idade 39 anus e mai husi distriu nebe mais kunhesidu ho kafe, Ermera, hili dalan atu sai kondutor laos tamba obrigasaun ema balun nian, nia oferese nia an liu husi prosesu rekrutamentu bain bain hanesan ema seluk nebe molok atu hahu'u nia servisu iha instituisaun balun. Iha tempu livre hanesan sabadu no domingu nia kuntinua nia vida hanesan ema comunidade bain bain hodi fo suporta nafatin ba nia servisu iha liur nebe oras ne'e halao husi nia oan mane bo'ot hodi lao ba fatin seluk atu tula ai teka ba ninia servisu kikoan oan nebe nia hahu'u halao tiha ona molok mai servisu iha UNDP hanesan feto primeiru nebe sai kondutor ba Nasoins Unidas Timor Leste nian.

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