On Atauro Island, in east Timor, young volunteers work together to fight the spread of dengue fever as part of the project "Combating Dengue Fever on Atauro Island – Makili and Vila Maumeta Villages”.

In March and April 2025, twenty volunteers were selected to take part in the project: ten from the village of Makili and ten from the Catholic University of Timor.                                         
After the initial training sessions, the mapping phase began on 13 April, with the goal of creating a detailed map of Makili and identifying critical areas requiring action for mosquito control and infestation prevention.
To do this, satellite images of the village and its neighborhoods were selected and printed on A2 or A3 sheets. On these maps, each household was marked with a sticker placed at its corresponding location. To show the level of mosquito presence, the stickers were categorized as follows:

Level 1: no mosquitoes or very low presence (up to 2)
Level 2: moderate presence (2 to 10 mosquitoes)
Level 3: high presence (more than 10 mosquitoes)

The conclusions drawn from the mapping activity show that the predominant mosquito species in the village of Makili is Aedes albopictus, which is able to reproduce both in natural environments (such as tree holes) and inside households. Larvae were found mainly in small basins, bathroom buckets, and puddles near kitchens and latrines. The observed seasonal pattern runs from November to April, likely linked to rising temperatures and the formation of new stagnant water after rainfall (for example in gutters, opened coconuts, or plants such as banana trees).

To address the problem, the creation of a neighborhood surveillance network has been proposed, with the task of weekly monitoring mosquito presence and breeding sites, taking action when mosquito numbers increase in coordination with village leaders, and collaborating with the health center to manage disease cases and distribute mosquito nets or insecticides.

In the coming months, the project will continue with the next phases, which include mosquito control and prevention activities, as well as organizing training sessions for the local population.