Marta Bento was born in Dili City and lives in Taibesi Sub-District of Nain Feto. She is 75 years old and her husband is Joao Borges, 60 years old. Both were seeking refuge in St. Elizabeth IDP camp. Marta suffers from chronic sickness and her hands and legs do not function properly. Her condition worsened while she was in the IDP camp. Sometimes both her legs hurt.

JRS' Field Staff attending to Marta and Joao

Their lives changed drastically during the conflict in 2007, when suddenly a group of martial arts people threw stones at their house. Her husband who was present in the house at that time, immediately moved with her to seek refuge in St Elizabeth Taibesi Nursery. While they were in the St Elizabeth's displaced peoples' camp, the intruders destroyed their entire house, stole all their animals (goats, pigs and chicken) they bred for their livelihood. It was a very sad incident as the animals were sold to support their lives, buy food and medicine and provide additional earnings to fulfill their daily needs.

Marta needs the help of her husband to move around. She laments, "…as a woman I could not do a woman's work…this is caused by my sickness. All I could do is just sit at home. I could not cook and sew clothes. My husband has to accompany me day and night and does every thing for both of us since just the two of us live here." Before the crisis her husband worked as a carpenter but all his carpentry tools were stolen and he cannot afford to buy or replace them anymore.

Mr. Joao fixing the broken window, repairing the house with discarded materials

Now upon returning home they are starting their lives from zero. It is very difficult for them as the funds (US$500) given by the government is not enough to sustain their livelihood. Marta said, "My husband used to work as a carpenter, but now the tools have disappeared; he is trying to work as a builder or laborer but the income will hardly meet our daily needs".