Hello and thank you for visiting this page and considering making a contribution.

During the dawn hours of August 11, 2025 , a tropical storm swept through the Cabo Verde Islands, bringing with it torrential downpours and fatal floods to the island of São Vicente.

Unfortunately, the public was not alerted of the storm ahead of time and the island, with its weak infrastructure was unprepared for a storm of such intensity. Homes, roads, businesses and livelihoods were destroyed. Children lost their lives.

One family, the Rodrigues Fortes family living outside the city of Mindelo, in Calhau lost all of their sustenance - the family farm from which they've made a living from their entire lives.

The road connecting them to the city is now ruined. They are now left without a safe place to live, without electricity, without means of communication as the mobile network is not working, and without their one way of living -- their beloved farm.

In the words of my friend, their daughter, Vanisia Fortes, "My dad is without hope."

My goal with this fundraiser is to help restore balance in their lives, by giving them the money they can use to help them get back on their feet and rebuild, one step at a time.

Since I am creating this page in the United States, I will personally collect the funds and send it to them through RIA or Western Union and I will show you the receipts for these.

I met the Fortes family exactly 10 years ago, during a prolonged visit to the islands, and they immediately treated me like family. They took care of me, they offered me their most delicious papaya and shared their calm and wonderful lifestyle with me. I will never forget the moments we shared in their home or near a huge tamarind tree. Nor will I forget the organic greens I could always count on finding at the now also destroyed market in the city's Praça Estrela, fresh from their farm. The goat cheese which I often bought to share as gifts...

Recently, years later, when I visited them with my new family, they welcomed all of us with open arms. Regardless of difficult times over the years, they have always shown resilience and have never stopped smiling.

Please help me bring their smiles back.

Let's join forces and bring back hope for a better next chapter for this wonderful family!

With gratitude,

Nuria Chantre