Village of Kiubaat is located in Amanuban sub-district, South Central Timor Regency. Kiubaat established in 1961 with 15 km2 of area. Kiubaat borders with Batnun village in the south, Oe-ekam in the north, Oekiu in the east and Polo in the west. The distance from Kiubaat to Soe is ±75 km.

Total population is 1.986 people (Male: 998 and female : 9880), consists of 500 family heads which divided into 4 hamlets, 10 RW (Citizens Association) and 22 RT (Neighborhood Association). The current village head of Kiubaat is Yupiter Nabuasa who is the eighth village head since its establishment.

Name of Kiubaat is originally from Timor language “Kiubaat” means Root of Tamarind, where there was a very fertile shady tamarind tree in the reign era of King Nabuasa. The King and his servants usually sit under the tree for meeting or discussion of war strategy against King of South, King Sonbai.

The village was born from 4 big families; Tefu, Manao, Biaf, Kabnani with motto Unity or a motto that makes the village intact and strong “Nep a Kilot, Tain a Knobet”, meaning “4 families, United and Strong to support The King and unbeatable.” Until this time, 99% of villagers are dry land and horticultural farmers who produce corn, vegetables, paddy and other local food for consumption or selling them in Panite Lokal Market, Soe, or Kupang.

Clean water procurement project

To water the plants in productive garden, TLM Foundation assists Kiubaat people in utilizing closest water source to be able to water the plants in productive garden. Using hydram technology, the water is irrigated from its source to water tank location through pipes to reduce transport power . 

Before using hydram pump, people of Kiubaat get water from remaining water from paddy field that is located about 300 meter above productive garden but when the remaining water dry, plants in the garden cannot be watered. By using hydram technology, they can irrigate water from the source (river) that located lower to productive garden that located higher and the irrigation will still continue.

Aside from productive garden, Kiubaat is also facilitated with clean water project for two schools near the garden. The schools are Oeipun Elementary School and Oeupun Public Junior High School. TLM Foundation with village community and school party cooperated in installing hydram pump to irrigate water from river to school location with height of elevation reaches 40 meters. The water is used for WASH need and plant watering. Previously, students of the schools were required to bring water from their houses using jerry can or bucket. This project has helped 200 students of Elementary and Junior High School so they do not have to bring water to school anymore.

Productive Garden

In July 2013, TLM – GMIT Foundation, as one of community empowerment organization who has community economy improvement program, through its village facilitators conducted survey in several villages to set as assisted village and based on agreement with village officials and village community, Kiubaat village was chosen to be its Assisted village with productive garden as its core program.

TLM began its assistance for Kiubaat by facilitating the community and officials to participate in comparative study in Productive Garden supervised by POLITANI Kupang in Baumata village, Kupang Regency. In that garden, Kiubaat garden members studied about plants with economic value which can be grown in dry land in Kiubaat such dragon fruits, California Papaya, red lady papaya and some types of vegetables.

After the comparative study, TLM Foundation assisted the community to form a group called “Kuiltit Farmer Group”, consists of 10 family heads that worked on 50 acre unproductive land and transformed it into productive garden by planting dragon fruit, california papaya, chili, onion and many types of horticultural vegetables that are organically grown (without chemical fertilizer).

This productive successfully incurred additional income for the members. This made some members who had planned to join TKI/TKW (Indonesian migrant worker) revoked their plan because they already have income source in their village. This garden also becomes an example garden and a place to learn for people around and other people from neighboring villages.

Officials and Community Training on Village Establishment based on 2014 Village Law.

In 2014, Government Policy to establish nation from village and it is manifested by the publish of Village Law Number 6 Year 2014. Village was given autonomy to manage its establishment from planning to development and government allocate village fund from APBN (National Budget). The allocation is granted for village official and community. TLM Foundation participates to improve capacity of official and community in implementing village development.

The program applied by TLM to help improving capacity is Official and Community Training of Village Establishment on 2014 Village Law.