Monrovia, Nov. 11 -- In the quiet forest-edge town of Zleh, nestled in the heart of Grand Gedeh County, the rhythm of daily life once echoed with the crackling of firewood and the coughing of women and children. For generations, cooking over open flames was a necessity-but it came at a steep cost.

"I used to cough a lot, and my children's eyes were always burning from the smoke," recalls Martha Gaye, a mother of four. "We walked long distances to collect firewood, and sometimes it was tough to find."

That reality is changing-thanks to the European Union-funded Leh Go Green Project, implemented by UNDP in partnership with Green Gold Liberia.

This initiative is introducing improved cookstoves to forest-fringe communities, offering a clea...