Saturday 16 November 2013

Cape Verde, Calheta de São Miguel - The handing out of the presents -The 10th of November 2013 (morning cont.)


(...)

As I got back to the pension I  realised a few mothers and children were waiting for me.  I was sad not to see little Odete, whose mother came over to collect her presents on her own once she was sick. Despite having handed out five more presents I was still worried I wouldn't make it till four, so together with Tarine, Leinira and Jussara we headed towards Viviane's carrying with us the presents which were left, with just two exceptions (for children who lived quite near the pension) hoping to be able to have them all handed out.

















Odete's mother with her child's presents and the envelope containing some money for her daily needs.





















Little Aniza with her new dress and new doll.





















Flavio's mother (left) and Carla Veronica's eldest sister holding the envelopes with the money for their school needs.





















Juliza (left) and Claudina (right) holding their new clothes and presents.







Elisiana holding her presents.





















On the way to Viviane's. Viviane and Hélida's mother holding the envelopes with the money for their school needs.





















Hélida (left) and Viviane (right) holding their new clothes, presents and school bag.






We then decided to walk down and head towards Veinilson's. We were fortunate enough to have met him together with his mother and sister just outside their house.





















Veinilson and Andrine's mother holding the envelopes for their school needs.




















Andrine (left) and Veinilson (right) holding their presents.






We then turned right and walked a bit further so as to hand out the presents to Naiade and Pedrilson.


















Pedrilson and Naiade's mother (left) holding Pedrilson's construction kit.  Naiade holding her presents and new school bag.







As Tarine and Leinira walked back to let Nelsinha's grandmother know she should go around to collect her presents, I walked a bit further towards the coastline so as to hand out the money to Elisiane's aunt, who was actually working on the construction of a villager's house together with a few neighbours in what was a solidarity gesture for the benefit of the community. Everyone helps everyone else, whenever it is necessary.



















Elisiane's aunt after having interrupted her construction work to collect her niece's money for the school needs.





I stayed around for a while just watching he women carrying the heavy load on their heads as the men stood there making the cement mixture.


















I walked along the coast line having had to walk down the cliffs towards the rocky beach, where a few boys seemed to be enjoying themselves in and out of the water. It was beginning to get really hot and I just felt like doing the same. I continued to fight against the tight schedule, as I approached the pension once more (how often had I been in and out of that pension to get presents and set off I didn't know !!!).























Once I met my "road" companions again, we decided to head towards Mariama's which implied having to deviate and further walk along the coastline. She was extremely happy and surprised to see us, and so was her mother as I later found out they had no idea I was in Calheta.




















Mariama holding her stickers book (left) and her new clothes (right).







Mariama's mother holding the envelope with the money for the school needs.








(To be continued)








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