Lita Stoves: Urgent Action for Forests and Women

First and foremost, please allow us to express, with complete sincerity, our profound and unwavering gratitude to you. Your support for the "Lita" improved cookstove project in Benin is far more than an act of generosity—it is an act of faith. The trust you place in us, day after day, is the very breath that animates our mission and illuminates our path through the most challenging moments. 

Thanks to you—and you alone—we work with conviction to protect Benin's forests and safeguard the health of thousands of women and children. These are two inextricably linked causes, two pillars upon which the future of entire communities rests. Receiving your support is an honor we never take lightly. 

Where We Stand Today — With Full Transparency 

Because you deserve honest, complete, and sincere information, we share this progress update with the deepest respect for your trust. 

Currently, the phase involving cookstove construction and women's training is on temporary hold. Our teams remain fully engaged; schools with canteens and partner communities are ready to move forward; and enthusiasm on the ground is genuine and palpable. However, we are facing an initial funding challenge that is delaying the operational launch in the field. 

Why This Delay? 

The current economic climate has made access to seed funding more complex than anticipated. In response, we made a deliberate choice we stand firmly behind: never to begin halfway. Compromising the quality of the cookstoves or the strength of the training would betray the 1,000 women we aim to empower—and betray the trust you have placed in us. What we seek is real, lasting impact worthy of the goals we share together. 

What We Are Doing Now 

Far from remaining idle, we are transforming this period into a strategic lever for preparation and strengthening. Every day counts, and we are using it with discipline and rigor: 

• We are finalizing beneficiary selection and sourcing local materials—particularly clay—to ensure everything is ready to launch as soon as resources are secured. 

• We are adapting and intensifying our fundraising strategy to reach the target needed for launch, with renewed commitment and determination. 

• We are strengthening relationships with our community partners so that the first day of operations fully reflects the hope you carry with us. 

The Urgency We Bear, For You and With You 

We feel the weight of this urgency every day. Each day without a "Lita" cookstove means more wood consumed from dwindling forests, more smoke inhaled by children and women whose health depends on cleaner air. That is why our determination remains unwavering and our vision steadfast. 

By 2035, we aim to equip 30,000 Beninese households with these improved cookstoves. We hold firmly to this goal—not out of stubbornness, but because you believe in it as deeply as we do. This shared faith obligates us, in the noblest sense of the word. 

How You Can Make a Difference Today 

In this decisive phase, your voice is as valuable as your generosity. Here's how you can act right now: 

• Talk about "Lita" with those around you—family, colleagues, your network. Your recommendation is a powerful key to expanding our circle of support and reaching new donors. 

• Share our mission on your social media. Raising awareness about deforestation and health challenges in Benin is itself an act of impact—and every share matters. 

• If you are able to renew or increase your donation, know that every contribution, no matter the size, brings a Beninese family closer to a healthier, safer, and more sustainable daily life. 

We will continue to keep you updated regularly, even when visible progress on the ground is limited, because transparency is the foundation of our relationship with you. It admits no compromise. 

Thank you for your patience, your trust, and your unwavering loyalty. Together, we turn this challenge into a step forward, not an obstacle. Together, we move forward—and every step we take, we take thanks to you. 

Support the "Lita" Project—because every cookstove matters, and every donation, every share, makes a difference.