From Climate Strain to Women’s Strength; Natural Dyes as a Pathway to Boost Biodiversity and Women’s Economic Empowerment

At RELOKA, we strive to find the perfect balance between people and nature by developing markets that support livelihoods—particularly for women—while respecting and preserving the natural environment they live in.

The project focusses on the strengthening of local food gardens, restoration of natural water sources and the introduction of natural dye trees and plants as an economic source, for two rural communities.

Timor-Leste has a rich tradition of Tais (ikat) weaving. In the past, women dyed yarns using plants from their own gardens—carefully managed to provide food, firewood, and dye resources. In essence, they practiced permaculture. Today, however, few women retain natural dyeing skills, and almost none still grow dye plants. Many of these valuable plants, often with medicinal uses, and other resilient food crops are now lost to most communities. Additionally the eco-systems of the targeted communities regularly encounter natural hazards such as drought, floods, landslides and soil-erosion.

This project will be implemented in two rural living communities in Timor-Leste and aims to strengthen the economic empowerment of the women weavers by reintroducing resilient food crops and natural dye plants in their gardens and restoring their eco-systems.

Through the provision of several on-the-job trainings, and the implementation of four pilot gardens, the project educates about climate change, regenerative farming, water restoration, natural dye plants and micro-business.

Project objectives

• Promote the development of climate-resilient private gardens, empowering community members to improve food security and adapt their practices to environmental challenges.
• Restore degraded gardens to generate immediate and long-term livelihood opportunities, and showcase practical models that inspire replication across the community.
• Improve access to water for participating families, enhancing their ability to maintain productive gardens and secure essential resources for daily life and resilience.
• Support women’s empowerment by strengthening their confidence and capacity to grow natural dye businesses, fostering economic independence, and transmitting traditional knowledge.

Social inclusion and gender equity

RELOKA’s mission is to economically empower the most vulnerable women in Timor-Leste, helping to reduce gender-based inequality. we economically empower the women by creating income opportunities in the textile and tourism sectors. We work with women who face additional barriers—such as those in prison, with disabilities, or living in remote communities, providing skills and business training, along with access to markets. By supporting work that fits into their daily lives, we help women gain independence, make informed decisions, and challenge traditional gender roles.

This project focuses on developing natural dye plantations managed by women. These plantations not only generate income but also restore local ecosystems—improving water retention and creating more resilient gardens. As a result, women strengthen both their livelihoods and their environments, easing daily burdens and increasing their role in community resilience. By combining economic, environmental, and social goals, RELOKA helps women lead sustainable change for themselves and future generations.