In 1999, a UN-supervised popular referendum was held in East Timor, one which would go on to confirm its independence. The years leading up to statehood, which East Timor eventually achieved in 2002, proved crucial for the young nation's development. ABC Australia report in 2000 on the various challenges faced East Timor during this time. Unemployment remains a key issue, with men scrambling for the opportunity to work once a boat pulls into Dili harbour. The violence that accompanied the 1999 referendum destroyed much of island's housing; aid and materials from Australia are slowly allowing people to rebuild their homes, and their livelihoods. Yet while aid comes pouring in, the underdeveloped infrastructure is preventing its dissemination, with many villages cut off due to poorly built bridges and poorly maintained roads. Meanwhile, waste is not being properly collected, causing the spread of infections and diseases, especially among young children, and the government must deal with returning East Timorese citizens, misplaced during the violence. Yet despite the many challenged faced by East Timor, the interim government remains positive about its future: "East Timor will be prosperous, rich."

Produced by ABC Australia