Austria
What is your name?
Linda Pereira Araújo
How old are you?
37 years old
Where are you from?
Cape Verde
How did you get involved?
I grew up watching my mother helping others in the best way she could, including bringing more children in need to our home so we could give them some attention, care and food. Arriving at Boavista, 7 years ago, I came across the situation in Barracas (largest district of the capital Sal Rei) and tried to help each day. At some point, TUI Nordic created the "Charity” project. I was in charge of finding those most in need and see where TUI could help. The first step was the construction of a water tank for the “Centro Educativo da Nossa Senhora De Boa Esperança” (Educational Centre of our Lady of Good Hope). Currently, the Centre looks after 432 children between 6 months and 14 years. Sister Paula is in charge of the Centre. As the population grew, the need for these projects emerged. With the collaboration of our TUI Collection excursions programme and the TUI Care Foundation we are now able to offer even more support.
TUI organizes frequent visits from our team to Barracas so that we can be in touch with those most in need and are able to see the impact created by TUI’s presence and the difference we can make in the island. As a Cape Verdean woman working for TUI, the project helps me to help my people, and this is priceless. At the moment, there is no other place I would like to support.
What are you the most proud of when looking at the development of the project?
When I see the smile of the kids.
How, in your opinion, does your work inspire your colleagues?
At the moment, I have with me a baby I met during the visits organized by TUI to the Centre. Lucas is 11 months old, and two weeks ago he was only 5 kilogrammes. He was born prematurely in a very poor place as his mother is an alcoholic.
From the first moment Lucas was with me, many of my colleagues, including colleagues who do not have children, visited me. They brought food, baby clothes and everything a baby might need. Lucas touched their hearts, and the fact that every individual can and wants to help awakens the paternal spirit and humanitarian side in each one of us. Two weeks later, Lucas is smiling all time, has the strength to cry when he wants something and has gained 900 grams in one week.
How do you envision TUI Care Foundation (TCF) in 5 years?
TUI Care Foundation has a policy of providing help for a certain period of time. The goal is to ensure that one day when TCF leaves the projects will be able to stand on their own two feet. One of the major difficulties is ensure that a variety of vegetables will be available in the island at affordable prices. However if TCF can send a team to offer training to Sister Paula and her team, they will be able to grow their own vegetables. I also envision a ACUB school (ACUB is the local cooperation partner of TCF) with teachers capable of taking care of children with special needs, e.g. Down syndrome, infantile paralysis.
I wish that TUI Care Foundation continues to support local charities and associations for those in need in Cape Verde.
