With nowhere else to go, lonely grandmother lives in a derelict house for years

DÍLI, 21 August 2026 (TATOLI) — From a hillside overlooking the border area between Maliana Administrative Post and Bobonaro Administrative Post, rows of brightly coloured houses stand out against the landscape, many built with modern materials.

But among them is one house that tells a very different story.

The house’s walls and roof are badly damaged, leaving gaps large enough for sunlight to pass through. Inside, 68-year-old Francisca de Jesus Pires Leto has lived alone for more than 17 years.

The house was damaged by strong winds many years ago. Since then, Francisca has continued to live there, despite the leaking roof, broken zinc sheets and worsening conditions.

When the rainy season comes, water pours through the damaged roof and walls, often keeping her awake throughout the night.

“This house was damaged by the wind a long time ago. When it rains and the wind blows, the condition gets worse, but I continue sleeping here,” Francisca told TATOLI.

“I have no one with me except my two dogs. It feels lonely when you have no one to talk to.”

Francisca lives in Uat Hamlet, Ritabou Village, in Maliana Administrative Post, near Uat Primary School. During the day, the voices of schoolchildren provide a reminder that she is not completely cut off from the community.

At night, however, the area falls quiet. Her two dogs are her only constant companions, barking when strangers or neighbours pass by and offering her a sense of protection.

For Francisca, the dogs are more than pets. They are the closest thing she has to family at home.

Living on elderly aocial pension

Francisca receives an elderly social pension of about US$180 every three months. But the money is barely enough to cover her basic needs, leaving little or nothing to repair or rebuild her home.

“If I had the means to build a house, I would have done it a long time ago,” she said. “I have no money. I use the elderly pension for my daily expenses, including food and other necessities.”

Her small garden beside the house helps her survive. She grows corn and vegetables, but the harvest is not enough to generate the income needed to build a new home.

Francisca said she once received assistance from a priest from Ermera Municipality, including rice, cooking oil, a mattress, blankets, milk and noodles. But that support came a long time ago.

Today, she largely depends on her pension and whatever food she can grow herself.

“I only cook once a day, usually in the morning. I keep the food for lunch and dinner,” she said.

“My diet is mostly rice and vegetables from my garden.”

Family wants to help, but struggles too

Fátima Soi Tai Soares, a relative of Francisca, said the family had tried to persuade her to move in with them. But Francisca often refused, preferring to remain in the home where she has lived for many years.

Fátima said Francisca had never married and had long preferred to live independently.

She said the family felt a responsibility to care for Francisca but was also struggling financially.

“It is sad for us to see her living alone. But what can we do? We are also living in the same difficult situation,” Fátima said.

For more than 17 years, Francisca has endured a life of solitude, insecurity and hardship inside a house that offers little protection from the elements. Yet she remains determined to survive.

Her garden, her two dogs and the familiar surroundings of her neighbourhood have become part of the life she knows. Despite the hardship, she continues to call the damaged house home.

And she still holds on to a simple hope: that one day, she will have a decent house where she can live safely and with dignity.

Journalist: Sergio da Cruz
Editor: Maria Auxiliadora
Translation: Filomeno Martins