A five-hour commute to work and back on foot would be unimaginable for most Australians.
But for women on a remote island in East Timor, officially called Timor-Leste and one of Australia's closest neighbours, the trek is an opportunity to gain economic independence and individual empowerment as well as to provide for their families.
Many are widows or single mothers who live in the mountains of Atauro Island, a short boat ride from the capital, Dili.
They work at Boreca de Atauro, a shopfront set up with the support of the Alola Foundation, and each day craft and weave traditional Timorese tais, coasters, bags, bookmarks, dolls and numerous other products.
Each woman is paid a salary funded by the onsite sale of the items to the island's tourists, and at another shopfront in Dili.
Asked about their toil and physically taxing daily walk to and from home, one of the workers, Agida de Jesus, says via a translator that no one ever calls in sick.
The Alola Foundation was set up by Australian-born former First Lady of East Timor Kirsty Sword Gusmao in 2001.
While advocating for the nation's independence, Dr Sword Gusmao saw firsthand the impact of the occupation on the Timorese, particularly for women who were subjected to sexual violence at the hands of the Indonesian military.
Even after gaining independence, the scourge of gender-based violence remained and was the single most reported crime throughout a period of United Nations Transitional Administration arrangements.
As East Timor began to rebuild after multiple occupations, with countless development priorities needing attention, Dr Sword Gusmao wanted to ensure women's voices were not drowned out.
The Alola Foundation was born and, in the past two decades, has transformed into an organisation that not only provides women with economic opportunity but also maternal health care, vaccination programs, education, leadership training and access to cancer treatment.
At first, Dr Sword Gusmao wanted its focus to be on trauma healing after the country's brutal battle for independence left deep scars.
But when she travelled the country, she discovered Timorese women had another priority: empowerment.
"Women wanted help with setting up small businesses so that they could feed and clothe and educate their kids," Dr Sword Gusmao says.
"They said having that hope for the future was the best way of actually healing their trauma."
This was a crucial lesson for the then first lady. No matter how good she thought an idea was, it was more important to reflect the needs of the people she was working with.
Economic empowerment remains a priority for the foundation, in the provision of seed funding and micro loans.
Along with helping women set up their own ventures, the financial support allows them to access training in small business management and become economically independent.
This remains true to the foundation's original goal to support women affected by gender-based violence, as many are often forced to stay in violent relationships because of their financial dependence on males.
One of the things Dr Sword Gusmao is most proud of is that the foundation has become a fertile breeding ground for powerful female leaders.
"All of the women that have led the organisation have gone from being recent high school graduates who had very little work experience, but with some support and mentoring and opportunity they have flourished and grown," she says.
"They've become extraordinary leaders, not only in the organisation, but many of them have also been recognised in the (Timorese) women's movement.
"I'm so proud of that."
From the beginning, Dr Sword Gusmao committed to ensuring the foundation was owned and run by Timorese people and didn't have an excessive reliance on international funding.
The organisation receives most of its funding from within East Timor, supported by Alola Australia which is chaired by Dr Sword Gusmao from Melbourne.
She believes all Australians can play a role in supporting the continued development of East Timor, particularly by visiting as tourists.
"By dint of the pure accident of geography, we have this amazing neighbour that continues to be on a journey towards self discovery and development and still needs a lot of support," Dr Sword Gusmao says.
"(East Timor) has got so much going for it, and I think Australians have everything to gain from staying engaged with the country and establishing strong bonds of friendship with the individuals and communities there."
AAP's reporter travelled as a guest of Intrepid Travel.
