Cape Verde is more than postcards and music, it is children navigating isolation, uneven schooling, and limited paths to work. From mountain villages to Praia’s busy streets, their voices ask for inclusion and opportunity, and we are here to carry those voices into the light.
Cape Verde is known for its peace, democracy, and vibrant culture. But beneath the surface of this island nation, many children face isolation, inequality, and limited future prospects. These are the three most pressing issues affecting them today:
Many children grow up in households with unstable income or seasonal work, especially in rural islands. When young people leave school, there are few job opportunities, leading to early dropout and hopelessness.
While education access is strong in urban areas, children on remote islands often lack adequate schools, trained teachers, or transportation. These gaps lead to uneven academic outcomes and higher dropout rates — especially among rural girls.
In many parts of Cape Verde, children with physical or intellectual disabilities face stigma and isolation. Schools are not always equipped for inclusion, and families often lack the resources to provide care or advocacy.
In Praia and beyond, Associação Colmeia opens doors for teenagers who feel school slipping away and work out of reach. Tutoring rebuilds confidence; workshops teach practical skills from solar basics to tailoring; mentors listen closely and set goals that feel real. Youth who arrive discouraged find peers, structure, and adults who refuse to give up on them. Employers partner for internships; staff coach interviews and work habits; families are invited to support steady attendance. Emotional care is not an afterthought; it is woven through every session so resilience grows with competence. The pathway from classroom to livelihood becomes visible: learn, practice, try, reflect, try again. Colmeia’s rooms fill with small victories that stack into a future. In a place where options can feel narrow, purpose widens, and a teenager begins to believe again.
Acarinhar stands beside families who have been told to stay quiet, offering therapy, guidance, and the conviction that every child belongs in school. Parents gather for training and support; children practice movement, language, and play in spaces designed for dignity. Teachers learn how to adapt lessons and welcome different abilities; administrators hear why ramps, schedules, and patience matter. Public campaigns replace stigma with understanding; a child who once stayed at home walks into a classroom and finds a seat saved for them. Staff keep follow up close, visiting homes, tracking progress, and solving problems with care. With each new inclusion plan, a community learns how to see, how to include, how to celebrate growth. Acarinhar turns isolation into belonging and helps the entire system move toward fairness, one child at a time.
On São Nicolau, distance once decided futures; in 2023 a ferry and van route began to decide them differently. Mornings now start with a safe ride across water and road; students arrive rested, on time, ready to learn. Attendance rose quickly; teachers could plan; families stopped choosing between safety and schooling. Volunteers coordinate docks and pickups; mechanics keep engines working; the schedule holds even when weather tests resolve. Along the way, older students help younger ones board and settle; friendships form that travel into the classroom. The program does more than move children; it restores a right that geography tried to take. Each crossing says the same thing: learning is worth the journey, and the community will make sure the journey is possible.
In 2024, partners across Santiago gathered for a week devoted to inclusion, a public statement that every child is welcome in the classroom. Teachers practiced new methods; families attended talks that turned worry into understanding; artists led workshops where expression outran stigma. Children with and without disabilities created together, performed together, clapped for one another with clear joy. Administrators watched attitudes shift as practical tools met open hearts. The celebration closed with a call to keep doors open and supports consistent, not just for one week but all year. What began as an event became a standard; inclusion moved from hope to habit. For many students, it was the first time they were seen fully, and the first time the system promised to keep seeing them.
Promotes animal welfare through rescue, veterinary care, adoption, and public awareness campaigns.
Supports youth, women, and families through literacy programs, training, and community empowerment.
Supports Cape Verdean communities through scholarships, cultural advocacy, and diaspora empowerment.
Protects Cape Verde’s ecosystems by promoting biodiversity education, ecotourism, and habitat restoration.
