Benlutu Village

About

Benlutu village is located in Batu Putih Sub-district, South Central Timor, established since 1969 with an area of 29,4 km2. This village is directly adjacent to Hane Village to the South, Biloto village to the North, Tubuhue village to the East and West to the border with Boentuka village. The distance of the village from So’e, South Central Timor District is ± 11 km.

Number of population in this village is 2.856 people (1.432 men and 1.424 women) consists of 558 families, which is divided into 3 Sub-villages, 26 RT (Neighborhood Associations) & 12 RW (Citizens Associations). Current Benlutu Village Head is Obed Fallo, S.Sos, who is the 5th Village Head since this village was established.

Benlutu village name is from Timor language, where “Ben” means to cut/ clean the thicket grass” and “Lut means connect” where in the past at this village there was a tribal war between the King Nabuasa from South of South Central Timor against the King Mella from North of South Central Timor.

However the settler who lived in the village, tribes of Beunsila dan Abi from Oekusi mediated to reconcile both kingdoms by cutting or cleaning the very high thicket grass on the battlefield that usually used by the shoulders from both tribes to hide when they were fighting. The war was finally ended and made peace by carrying out a ceasefire in the traditional East Timorese language "Na Lut nafani kenat, Na tap nafani suni" which means "to save weapons and machetes in their place.

Until now, 90% of the people in this village are dry land and horticulture farmers; they plant corns, vegetables and other local foods while 10% is wetland (paddy field) and raising livestock. The harvests for consuming and sell them at local market or Kupang.

Productive Garden

Since January 2019, TLM Foundation as one of community empowerment institutions that has community economy improvement program, through its staff conducting surveys in the villages that would become assisted village.

Based on the survey result and agreement with the village officials and local community, they decided to make Benlutu village as one of assisted village for the TLM programs such as productive garden, technical assistance for water project, assistance in implementing village law No. 6, 2014 and establishment BUMDES.

The TLMF village facilitator along with the village government have formed the farmer group, surveyed unproductive garden to be processed into productive garden.

The village head and community agreed to designate the land of 105 acre (1.05ha) to be managed by Nekmese II farmer group that consists of 10 families.

The plan to clean the land will be conducted in March 2019 after harvest time. It was planned to be planted with various horticulture plants by using organic farming system (without chemical fertilizers) so that plants have a high selling value and are healthy for consumption.

The village government plans to apply irrigation technology to the gardens in this village so that it is more efficient in irrigating plants and saving more water.

The distance between the garden and the source of the spring is far enough so that the village government cooperates with the TLM Foundation to help facilitate the installation of a hydram pump.

Water Project

Benlutu village is one of village in South Central Timor District with the most spring source. Eight spots of spring are enough to irrigate paddy field at Benlutu village, located in downstream of the river. Even so the community still lack clean water and often buys the water in dry season.

Due to all spring sources are located on the slopes of the mountain below the lowlands, so they need appropriate technology to be able to pump water to the locations of productive gardens as well as residents who are located much higher.

According to the village official of Benlutu, they have tried several times to use solar cell technology but the lack of human resources so that the facilities built become redundant.

At the end of 2018, the Benlutu Village Government collaborated with the TLM Foundation to plan water resources management, what technology is more efficient to implement it.

Based on the survey from the water project technical staff of TLM Foundation, the government of Benlutu village plans to apply Hydraulic Pump to save the installation costs and easy to apply it.

TLM Foundation has placed one of technical staff to assist them in planning, designing and applying the hydraulic technology by doing installation phases from Budget and Cost Plan (RAB), measurement, purchase materials and tools that is planned will be finished in March 2019.

Training provided to the Village official and community on developing village according to the Village Law No 6, 2014.

In addition to water project and productive garden, TLM Foundation also sends a trainer staff to mentor/train the village official and community on the implementation of Village Law No 6, 2014.

The programs cover some activities such as ;

  1. Mentoring the village official in making RKPDes and RPJMDes
  2. Mentoring the village official in determination of village regulation authority
  3. Mentoring the village official and community in making ADART of BUMDES establishment

This program has been conducted since January 2019 and will continue to be carried out intensively so the village law No 6, 2014 can be implemented properly.