On recent decades the concept of ‘community participation’ in development is highly valued and promoted as an alternative and sustainable approach to the top-down one. Hence, this research aims at describing the community participation and gender issues at play in rural water supply and sanitation projects as an important strategy of poverty alleviation in Timor-Leste. This research proved that community participation is not static or given, it has been regenerated and changed over time even though it is framed in a top-down approach, a free space is given to the community members to exercise their autonomy.They can also exercise their local knowledge to improve the water system for their own well-being. This research will benefits greatly to rural development experts, lecturers and students who are interested in alternative development discourse.