Our Committee of Management 

We have a small but dedicated team who lead the implementation of our strategic plan to provide more accessible and better quality water supplies to rural villages in Timor-Leste. Over time WET has moved from a grassroots organisation to one with committee members who have expertise in WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) project planning and implementation. 

Our Committee of Management meets (mostly) monthly to plan both our water projects and the fundraising activities that underpin our capacity to pay for these projects. Committee meetings are held in Warrnambool Victoria, but we have Committee members who join us online via WhatsApp, Messenger, Zoom or similar. 
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The Committee welcomes new Committee members at any time. If you are interested, please email us at watereasttimor@gmail.com. Our current Committee members represent a broad range of interests, motivations and capacities to commit. 

Greta Perry, Chair

Greta joined Water East Timor as a member in 2014, and become a Committee of Management member in 2015. She has been Chair since 2018. 
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During the early 80’s she travelled extensively throughout Asia as a backpacker, and during that time she witnessed the low life expectancy of many people living in rural and remote villages.  Access to an adequate supply of food, clean water and sanitation necessary to sustain a healthy life was limited.  A large percentage of Timorese live in remote and rural villages and still experience these same barriers. Children are expected to walk many kilometres to fetch water from the nearest water source, which can prevent them going to school.  Greta's professional background in Early Childhood Teaching gave her an understanding that a child’s early years are the foundation for their future development. It provides a strong base for life long learning and abilities. 

Greta wants WET to continue sourcing funds to implement future water and sanitation projects in remote villages which are sustainable, cared for by the villagers, for the benefit of all villagers with the hope of improving their health outcomes.

Geoff Spencer, Treasurer 

Geoff is a Water Resources Management Specialist with over 50 years’ experience in Australia and internationally.  He has been involved in a broad range of water resources and WASH (Water, Sanitation and Hygiene) projects, so he identifies with the vision of WET and believes he can add value to WET and the people of Timor-Leste.
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Geoff would like to utilise his technical skills to ensure that village projects in Timor Leste are designed correctly, are cost effective and provide equitable benefits to villagers.  He also wants to be an active member of the WET executive to enhance the effectiveness of WET as an organisation. 

Eddie de Pina​

Eddie was born in what was then known as East Timor. In 1975 when he was 10 years old he fled Timor-Leste with his parents and some of his siblings when Indonesian troops invaded his country. He did not return to Timor-Leste for another 25 years. 
When the civil war ended in 1999, Eddie returned to East Timor to be with his people. He is now Director of the Bakhita Community Centre in Ermera District, and is our in-country adviser for our water projects. He leads the Water Team who operate from the Bakhita Centre and pass on their skills and knowledge to local villages. 

Yve Bayley, founding member 

Yve has a background in finance, education and health, and as a founding member holds WET's organisational memory. Yve has been part of WET project teams that worked with Timorese to teach skills and assist in construction of water systems in villages. She has experienced first hand the difference that clean water and sanitation make to the daily lives of Timorese villagers, and witnessed the corresponding educational and health benefits.
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Yve would like to see WET continue to develop and improve WASH projects that are designed and delivered in Timor-Leste and are cost efficient, sustainable, and delivered on time. 

Anne Maree Mugavin, Secretary 

Anne Maree is the current Secretary of WET and has been involved since 2016. 

Julie Kean​

Julie worked in Timor-Leste in 2017-18 as a Skills Adviser with an Australian Government aid program. As she travelled across the country she saw the effects of poor sanitation and lack of reliable water supply, particularly on women and children. 

On her return to Australia she was keen to contribute in some way to improving the lives and health outcomes for the Timorese people. WET provides this opportunity, and as a Committee member Julie is able to use her organisational and planning skills to help WET achieve its aims. 

Michael McCluskey 

Michael was born and raised in Warrnambool and has spent most of his working life as a veterinarian.  He has twice visited Timor-Leste to catch up with his niece who was working there, and that ignited his desire to help contribute in some positive way to the people of our closest neighbour. 

Reliable and plentiful access to clean water is the life blood of any community and is something that can sometimes be taken for granted in many parts of the world. Joining WET to help with fundraising and also identifying and assessing worthy water projects  was a logical choice as the pathway for Michael to give back to Timor-Leste. 

Seeing the many successful outcomes WET has achieved since his involvement has confirmed to Michael the value of joining the committee of WET. 

Mabel Mitchell

​Mabel was formerly the Secretary of WET from 2012 to 2016 and has recently rejoined the Committee, bringing all that history and knowledge back to the table. 

Mable has a professional background in health. She became a member of WET to contribute towards bringing clean water and sanitation to rural villages in Timor-Leste where the general health of the population is poor and infant mortality high. Children often miss school to fetch water from nearby springs or primitive water channels. The system of bringing water and sanitation to villages that was developed by WET has been shared with the local people who can now identify possible projects, and implement and maintain these systems.

Miles Coverdale​​

Miles joined Water for East Timor in September 2022. He had an opportunity to visit Timor-Leste in 2018 while fellow WET committee member Julie Kean was working there in an educational development capacity. Julie introduced Miles to Eddie Da Pina (in-country WET member) and Eddie took Miles on a tour of western parts of the country. He was able to see first hand how the installation of fresh spring water systems, some of which had been funded by WET, had significantly benefitted the lives of people in remote villages. When an opportunity arose to join the WET group in Warrnambool, Miles felt this would enable him to make a contribution in response to Eddie’s generosity and that of the village people he visited.