Windward Islands
BETWEEN CULTURE AND TROPICAL FORESTS Windward Islands In the Windward Islands you will discover the north of the
The community tourism project that has transformed life in this iconic Mindelo neighborhood
Ribeira bote is a worldwide example of how to manage sustainable tourism with a more than positive impact. A very structured project that involves incredible changes.
Ribeira Bote
A Vital transformation
Ribeira Bote
Ribeira Bote is a community-based tourism project that aims to promote the insertion of this historic Zona Liberada into the main attractions of Mindelo‘s tourist circuit. Since its inception, it has always sought to promote an interaction between visiting travelers and the local community, creating a cultural, anthropological, solidary and very sustainable experience where traditions are not only preserved but also promoted.
A project born within the neighborhood itself with people like Miriam Lopes, director of the project but that has come to count on the participation of multiple entities such as the “Solidarity and Sustainable Tourism Network of São Vicente”, the Association of Friends of Nature (AAN) the Center for Rural Studies and International Agriculture (CERAI) and the City Council. Vicente Municipal Council (CMSV), and finally with funding from the European Union.
Mindelo
El Barrio
The location is a historic neighborhood with difficulties and social stigmas, but despite these problems, its population has made an effort to value the community and the community’s culture. Cleanup, new landscaping, reconstruction of facades, and intervention of local artists are some of the actions that have been carried out in the neighborhood.
Years ago it was a community with special needs and many problems that Câmara Municipal de Mindelo alone cannot solve; a population facing social problems such as poverty, unemployment, limited health conditions, poor living conditions, early pregnancy, school dropouts, alcoholism and violence at different levels.
However, the project does not intend to promote slum tourism, or poverty tourism, it is tourism in a special area of Mindelo. Ribeira Bote has history, culture, music, friendly people and, increasingly, great social activists.
Origins
The name of the city arose because there was a small shipyard in the area, where wooden boats were built. Given the distance that separated them from the water, multiple iron rollers propped up with timbers were placed. Once the boats were completed, they were thrown down these long tracks until they floated out to sea. This fact and the numerous presence of naval experts gave Ribeira Bote this peculiar name.
Difficult times
Inhabited by working people, the Ribeira Bote neighborhood housed humble people and people who worked on the coal ships of British companies.
With a notable population growth coming, in part, from Boavista and Santo Antao, the neighborhood expanded with more basic constructions and poor lighting differentiating it from the rest of the modern city of Mindelo.
Increasing poverty in times of famine caused the neighborhood to gradually deteriorate with obvious consequences in the lives of its inhabitants.
At the time of the revolution for the liberation of Cape Verde, the neighborhood played a fundamental role as it became the first liberated area of the archipelago, cradle of Captain Ambrose’s revolution.
The experience
Responsible tourism provides local families with development opportunities without interfering with their dynamism and particularity as a community. From a cultural point of view, it means learning, getting to know, and establishing social ties with new people. It represents the values and symbols that favor interpersonal relationships and hospitality between tourists and visitors.
Before promoting this project, everything was quiet, even a bit depressive because nobody wanted to do anything. Its inhabitants were unmotivated and discouraged because they did not believe it was worthwhile. Now, after a few years of implementation, they are 100% motivated to promote new projects.
And the reason for this is the positive impact of responsible tourism, which has generated fully tangible profits for its inhabitants. Artisans can sell directly to tourists and the mentality of the residents has changed in the last three years.
From the outset there were two approaches to the project, one at the community level, raising awareness, insertion and participation, training and informing residents about the importance of this project; and a second at the social and tourism level, where the community was prepared to welcome and interact with new guests.
Today we can see in its streets musicians, sculptors, painters, soccer players, tennis players, actors of cultural events such as Mandingas or drummers in festivals.
How do we participate?
Oi Cabo Verde contributes to the project by promoting and supporting its development. In addition to actively participating, the economic contribution of each traveler goes entirely to the project.
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ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
ITINERARIES IN SAO VICENTE
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