About the KVRP

After the destruction and killing which swept East Timor in September 1999, a small group of KV residents felt a need to do something. A partnership was discussed with an East Timorese village and the Kangaroo Valley -Remexio Partnership was formed. Remexio consists of a main village (about 25 kms south of the capital, Dili) and a number of satellite villages. Beyond these are a scattering of smaller communities, difficult to access, rarely visited and with progressively poorer standards of living.

The KVRP is a "bottom up" or "grass roots" approach to helping the East Timorese help themselves. We hope to assist the East Timorese achieve dignified living through health, education, justice and ecologically sustainable industry. We selectively try to help in ways that are different from those of the UN and other NGOs. We try to foster long-term personal relationships with East Timorese people and actively encourage this approach in others. We have pursued a multitude of small, personal and usually integrated activities. Being substantially self-funded, and consistent with our philosophy, our material contributions have been small such as the provision of sewing machines, netball courts and tertiary scholarships. Then in 2009, discussions with Remexio community leaders resulted in KVRP undertaking the challenge of funding a Village Lighting Project, initially for the benefit of three of the most remote communities.

Who we are

The KVRP is a loose collective of people with a similar philosophy, who meet regularly in Kangaroo Valley. They include Brian Bailey, John Ballinger, Susan Ballinger, Janet Bundey, Lynne Dooley, Robert Farnham, Sandy Fritz, John George, Helen George, Terry Hennessy, Diana Jaffray, Lynne Keevers, Trish Livesey, Les Mitchell, Michael Moore, Louise Morgan, Peter Morgan, Pam Morrissey, Chris Nobel, David Prescott, Sue Prescott, Chris Pryor, Peter Stanton , Rosemary Stanton, Kerrina Swords, Greg Thompson, Libby Turnock, Paul Turnock, Martin Wesley-Smith & Peter Wesley-Smith.