Elsa is the proud owner of a new sewing business in Dili – a dream that has been years in the making.
The 28-year-old seamstress from Bacau has wanted to start a business for a long time but knew this would involve upfront costs to buy fabric and machines that working on her parents' farm could not cover.
Elsa was successful in her application for the Pacific Australia Labour Mobility (PALM) scheme and worked for 8 months in Australia, picking and packing fruit and operating machines on farms in Victoria.
“When SEFOPE called me, I knew what I wanted to achieve. I wanted to repair my family’s home and start my sewing business."
“When I told my family about the job, they were very happy that I would have the opportunity to work in Australia and work towards my goals,” said Elsa.
Moving overseas to earn an income reflects a broader trend in the region. In Timor-Leste, remittances from the PALM scheme - along with labour mobility programs in Korea and the UK - were the second-highest revenue sources in 2023.
Making dreams a reality
After just one season in Australia, Elsa was able to save enough to repair her family home and open her business producing hand-made decorations, cushions and wall hangings for funerals and weddings.
It didn’t take long for word about the new business to spread, and in just 2 months Elsa had orders from 32 customers through word-of-mouth and social media alone.
With each package selling for $450-600 AUD the return on investment plus a growing demand means that Elsa has been able to employ both her mother and aunty.
Currently working from her family home, Elsa’s next goal is to find a permanent location for a shop in Dili.
“The business is going well, and I’m ready to grow it even more. I hope to one day have a proper shop where people can visit,” she said.
Elsa applied for another season in Australia to save money for this next step and recently found out that she has been successful.
“When I got the call about the job, I was so happy. In my head I thought, ‘now I can make my shop a reality'”, said Elsa. "I want to continue with this. I want to make the business big."