I returned from Timor Leste on the 12th of July and have to say I am inspired by the determination of the young to pull themselves up. In the spirit of John F. Kennedy's inauguration speech 'Ask not what your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country;' three young men in particular have inspired me. Jino Pereira and his cousins Johnny Costa, Luciano Neves and Edi Freitas all working and studying in Dili are looking for ways to improve the lives of the young and old in their home village of Bei Cala, some 140 kms from Dili and 6 hours driving.

A chance conversation between work colleagues Jino and Naomi Lacey and myself and Luke Gosling of Life, Love and Health (LLH) brought us all together. This has in turn led to an initial donation of $500 for student resources for the Escola Pre-secondaria Foho Ailico and a visit in country to view the prospective site for a school project.

The visit has endeared a community to me and will allow me to fulfill a promise I made following Matt's untimely death. That promise was to ensure his name would live on through the education of the young in places he had worked.

Since visiting Timor Leste I have been able to work out a budget, gather construction information and get to know the project manager, builder and meet important people such as the chief of the village, principal and education officer. I have seen the existing school and the site of the new building and learnt its purpose.

It will be an extra classroom, library and offices. It will house the collection of english books we have collected which will allow students to learn english as well as other books in tetun and portuguese. Jino sees it as important to his country that the children are educated further than primary school and perhaps in the future we will see a trade training school, and help students go to university.

I am inspired by these young men who are finding solutions by themselves. It is the greatest example of citizenship in action and I am very proud that the Grub Club will be playing a part.