On August 15th, 2025, a devastating wildfire swept through Central Portugal. Around my village, all the land got burned. Among this was my home and quinta – my warm nest, the place where I truly felt at home.

I lost so many trees and plants that I deeply cared for. in the previous years I planted almost 200 of them. And in the house so many things got burned: clothes, tools, kitchenware, equipment… but also memories of deep emotional value – photographs, keepsakes, pieces of my life. And more than all of that, I lost the foundation of a long-term vision I was building with patience and a long-term vision.

This fire was not a natural disaster. In Portugal, these wildfires are a human phenomenon – the result of poor land policies, corruption, lobbying, and short-sightedness. What the countryside truly needs are people who live in ecological balance with the land, outside the village centers, caring for it in a way that benefits both nature and humans. That was exactly the choice that I made, the life I lived.

The dream for this quinta was to become an inspirational permaculture place: partly self-sufficient in food, a natural space where children can grow up close to the earth, and a retreat center where people can reconnect with nature – and with the nature within themselves. For the past years, and especially the last 18 months since I moved here permanently, this has been my life’s work.

I do not ask for pity. Everyone’s life holds both beauty and hardship. I also do not wish for contributions from those who cannot afford it. What I can accept, with gratitude, are gifts from those who feel called to support rebuilding this place – not just for me, but as a home for many, and as a light in the community.

Your support will help rebuild the quinta in a stronger, fire-safe way: with for example firebreaks, grazing animals, and water systems such as sprinklers to protect the land in times of danger. It will also help revive the vision of this place as a sanctuary for people and nature alike, for generations to come.

If you choose to contribute, you are not just helping me recover what was lost. You are helping to create something alive, ecological, and meaningful – a seed of hope in these challenging times.

With a huge gratitude for every gift, however big or small

Jasper

PS: also material support is still welcome, for example building materials, rain jacket, tents or tent fabrics, big plastics, table saw, gazebo for giving treatments at the market, mouse for computer, ...

Ask me if you want to donate materials :) Thanks! +351 924 187 896