Elizinha Soares Campos is a 22-year-old housewife from Uma Naruc, a quiet village surrounded by hills in the Manatuto municipality of Timor Leste. Manatuto lies east of Dili and stretches from the north coast to the south coast of Timor-Leste, so communities there experience both coastal and rugged mountain landscapes. Like many villages in Manatuto, Uma Naruc experiences long dry months followed by heavy rains that flood homes, kitchens, and footpaths. Although the village (Uma Naruc) is far from the hustle and bustle, the households are located close to one another in the village.

Elizinha lives in a small home shared by ten family members- her husband, relatives and her two young daughters. Life in her village moves with the rhythm of seasons, and during long rains, many homes, including hers, struggle with dampness, mud and flooding kitchens. 

As a young mother, Elizinha’s days begin before sunrise and stretch late into the evening. With two small daughters who follow her wherever she goes, she balances childcare with cooking for a large extended household, washing, cleaning, and tending to small farming tasks when time allows. In Uma Naruc, women often shoulder the central role of keeping the home running, and for someone still in her early twenties, the weight of these expectations can feel especially heavy. Elders and relatives depend on her, and her children rely on her constant presence, leaving little room for pause or personal rest. “Sometimes I felt like I had no time for myself,” she shared quietly.

For years, Elizinha cooked for the whole family using the traditional stone stove. The old way required three stones arranged diagonally, forming a triangle that held pans above burning wood. Collecting firewood was a daily necessity, and during the rainy season it became even harder. “We used to go out every day to collect wood,” she shared. “Sometimes we even had to chop trees and leave them to dry so we could use them later. It took so much time and energy.” During hot seasons, Elizinha and her family chopped trees, drying wood in preparation for monsoon months when finding fuel became even more challenging.

Traditionally, cooking is done inside the house, which causes smoke to remain trapped due to inadequate ventilation. Younger children are also exposed to the smoke whenever they are near the kitchen or accompany their mothers. In the case of Elizinha, she often felt tied to the kitchen, unable to focus on other household responsibilities or farming work. “I felt like most of my day was spent just trying to make meals,” she said. “The smoke made us cough, and my children’s eyes would get red. It worried me.”

In March 2025, Elizinha and her family received an Improved Cook Stove (ICS) and solar kit through UNDP’s Pacific Green Transformation Project, funded by the Government of Japan. The stove immediately eased her daily routine. Its lightweight design allowed her to relocate it easily when rainwater flooded the kitchen, ensuring she could continue cooking even in the wet season. “We are very pleased with the new stove,” she said with a smile. The ICS uses only two pieces of dry wood to burn efficiently, far less than her traditional stove, lighting quickly, cooking faster, and reducing both fuel costs and the time spent collecting firewood.

With the new stove requiring only minimal wood, fewer trees were cut, and far less time was spent gathering firewood. This simple change opened up hours in Elizinha’s day—time she could now devote to caring for her children, tending to farming work, or finally allowing herself to rest. “I feel more flexible around the house now,” she explained. “I can finish cooking quickly and still have time for other tasks. We don’t need to collect wood every day anymore.”

She also carries portable lights when moving around the compound after dark—checking on animals or securing the household for the night. The sense of safety has reshaped how she experiences evenings. “I can carry the lanterns outside at night, and I feel much safer,” she said. “Before, I worried about moving around in the darkness. Now I have control.”

For a young mother managing a household of ten, these changes translate into reclaimed hours, lighter responsibilities, and better health. The improved stove produces minimal smoke—no more coughing, irritated eyes, or cooking in dampness. For Elizinha, it is more than a household tool; it has brought ease, safety, and dignity into her daily life. She hopes more families in her community can experience the same transformation. “I would like to recommend UNDP to continue providing these stoves,” she said earnestly. “It helps us a lot and makes our lives easier and better.”