14 Local Operators from Timor-Leste Passed the Solar Power Water Pumps Competency Certification in Jakarta
Fourteen local operators from 11 villages in Atauro, Bobonaro, and Manatuto Municipalities in Timor-Leste passed the competency certification conducted by The Center for Human Resource Development (PPSDM) of Electricity, New Energy, Renewable Energy, and Energy Conservation (KEBTKE) in Ciracas, Jakarta today (01/09). These local operators attended technical training on the operation and maintenance of solar power water pumps under an initiative called the ACCESS Project, a partnership between UNDP, the Ministry of Energy and Mineral Resource (MEMR) Indonesia, and the Ministry of State Administration Timor-Leste funded by the Korea International Cooperation Agency (KOICA).
In the closing ceremony, Albino Soares, head of suco (village) from Manatuto, representing the certification participants, said, "Everything was smooth and precise here during the training. The most memorable is our visit to the remote village in Kuningan, West Java. It looks like our villages (in Timor-Leste), and we learned much about the PATS system."
Nikka Sasongko, Program Manager of KOICA Indonesia, congratulates the participant and ACCESS Project, "We hope that the participants can implement the skills obtained from the training, not only to ensure the sustainability of the built facilities but also for the prosperity of people in Timor Leste."
Mrs Imas Agustina, The ACCESS Technical Officer for Local Capacity Development, stated, "Hopefully, what has been learned during the training in Jakarta is useful for the operators and can also be shared with other colleagues in Timor Leste so that the PATS that will be built can be well maintained and useful in the long term."
Support for the SSTC
The training and certification program is conducted under the South-South and Triangular Cooperation (SSTC). Under this framework, Indonesia will share and exchange considerable knowledge and experience on clean energy with Timor-Leste. The program is implemented by constructing solar photovoltaic (PV) water pump facilities in Timor-Leste and developing human resources by training and certifying local operators.
The Center for Human Resource Development organized the training for 30 operators from Timor-Leste on the operation and maintenance of Solar PV Water Pump in two batches. The participants attended various classroom training, field workshops, and a site visit to Ciniru Village in Kuningan West Java with the Project's beneficiaries.
Bernardino Da Costa Perreira, the ACCESS Project National Manager in Timor Leste, found the training incredibly beneficial for both countries. "We appreciate all the facilitation during this training. We are not only learning from the class, but we also connect people to people. Village heads to village heads. How this collaboration is implemented is invaluable."
In his closing statement, the Head of PPSDM KEBTKE, A. Susetyo Edi Prabowo, underlined the Project's benefit in supporting the clean water issue. He stated, "The World Health Organization in 2019 reported that as many as 1/4 of the world's population still does not have access to clean water suitable for consumption. Using solar PV as a source of electricity to drive water pumps can be the answer to access to water in places without electricity."
Under the South-South Triangular Cooperation between Indonesia, Timor-Leste, and the Republic of Korea, Solar PV water pumps and Highly Efficient Solar Lamp System (LTSHE) are installed in remote villages in Timor-Leste, providing sustainable access to clean water and highly efficient lighting. ACCESS is expected to provide access to electricity for at least 20,000 people in Indonesia and Timor-Leste and clean water for 3,500 people in Timor-Leste.