The latest presents for the children and the most recent news from Calheta ...

I shall be flying to Cape Verde in a week's time and  have therefore been collecting the last presents to take for the children of Calheta.

Sérgio has today given me two T-shirts for Ismael and a toy that made the delight of many over the years. He has also given me the money to provide for the school material he might need. Surama has also given me a two piece outfit (shirt and cardigan) for Neuza, to which I have added a doll bought with some of the money Luisa provided me with. It will soon be my protegée's birthday, so I couldn't help but buying her a present as well (a pair of long red shorts and a T-shirt) to add to the things I had already bought for her.

Ismael's presents (Left). Neuza's presents(Right).

Leinira's new birthday clothes.

Taking into account some of the latest photos sent from Calheta and having realised that some of the children have really grown since I last saw them (September) Surama and I decided to get some bigger size T-shirts, so as to have them for children (just in case). So Surama has got an additional blouse for Neuza (with little flowers) and a white sleeveless shirt which fastens around the neck, a blue embroiderd blouse and a colourful dress for Simone (another of her "protegées" ) and I got two extra shirts thinking of children like Rosana and Tarine.

Simone's presents (Left). Some additional shirts for the children (Right).

These are three photos from Cape Verde depicting the "softball girls" group (I shall soon be working with)  getting and wearing their new "lettuce green" T-shirts, which we feel proud of having sent.

It is this type of  genuine happiness that reinforces my personal idea that it does not take much to make these children smile ...