Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde (third day - early morning) - Strolling around; the handing out of the last presents; photographing some more children who would like to have Portuguese "godparents" - The 26th of March of 2016

I got up fairly early in the morning having met Sr. Meno's wife, as she was off to work carrying their children with her. Maldini, the youngest child looks just like Mauricio did a year and a half ago. Noelle and I have got strongly attached to Mauricio and his parents and when we reached Calheta had no idea another child had since then been born.


I was quite happy to see him off with the little bag I had given him filled with little toys.

Prior to having had time to have my breakfast Nélida and her sister Bruna came around to collect the presents and the money provided for them by both myslf and a private donor in the case of Nélida and Isabel as far as Bruna is concerned. Hélida Maria was also given her presents and the money for her school needs which had been sent to her by a "godmother", Maria Carau who has recently joined the project.

I ended up seing myself be surounded by children asking me to find them Portuguese "godparents", some of them almost certainly encouraged by Djamila. By then I had lost count of how many photographs I had taken and  to be honest started not being bothered by that fact. As long as I do what I can I'll be happy.

The photographing went on after breakfast, amidst the handing out of the "lost" sandals to Patrick as he came around to hand out a letter addressed to his "godmother" and Adriana to collect the presents and the money provided for her school needs. Because there wouldn't be too much time left for her to go back home and come back  again with the "thank you " letter she quietly sat on Noelle's bed and took to writing on the back of the same envelope she had just been handed out.

As we were waiting for Erica and her mother to collect us Noelle and I decided to stroll around some of the back streets to come across another group of children wanting to be photographed. We stopped somewhere along one of those to hand out two skipping ropes, watch the view over the bay and  thoroughly observe a lady "cutchindo midjo" before heading back to the pension

Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde (second day - evening) - At the former Mayor's - The 25th of March 2015

We headed towards the new house of the former Mayor, who has since then been appointed as Municipal Deputy and therefore recently moved. We were initally welcomed by him and his youngest daughter, once Joceane (who was a former participant in the local artistic workshops) and her mother were out.


As they got back from the mess we were shown around the house whilst Joceane helped her sister to start doing some of the artistic works I had bought for her.

 

 

I will always feel indebted to both of them, for having strengthened our friendship over the years and supported me, not to mention providing me with the transport from the capital city to Calheta whenever I am around.

As we climbed to the upper patio I realised the weather was rather unstable with greyish clouds covering the sky. The view was magnificent, though the feeling was one of an abandoned grey concrete-like village with just a few specks of colour. The mountains far in the distance whose colour blended with the grey added to the overall melancholy. 

 

Calheta de São Miguel, Cape Verde (second day - afternoon cont.) - The handing out of the presents (still) and photographing the children who would like to have "godparents"- The 25th of March 2016

(...)

I still managed to hand out the presents and money for the school needs to Ariete and Felizberto from their respective "godparents" Ricardo and Lúcia Casqueiro, having then given the expected news to Patrick who finally got himself a "godfather" Diogo, who provided him with presents as well as the money for the school needs.

Eduardinho came afterwards having received the presents I bought for him, the money for the school needs having been provided by a donor, as Eveline Natalina got hers provided by Miguel and Lola by Carla Carreira.

It was then Hélida and Andreia's turn who were handed out the presents and money for the school needs provided by their "godmothers"  Julieta and Carla respectively.

Because I always carry extra clothes and toys with me I ended up handing out a blouse and a few little things to a young lady who shily approached me as I started photographing the children, whose mothers would like them to have "godparents" in Portugal.

 

 

 

 

Despite the fact that I always let people know I don't have the capability to bring such an amount of toys and clothes to distribute to the huge amount of children that "people" this village I always end up not being able to say no, once I look at the children's expectant eyes.

As the afternoon came to a close, with Noeëlle and I having distributed almost everything we had brough with us I decided to finally head to the Mayor's. I still came across three adolescents who begged me to take their photographs so that I might sometime (according to their words) get them some overseas "godparents".