Nilza Varela Foundation announces progress on four structuring projects to improve housing and social dignity on the island of Brava and Cape Verde
Pawtucket City, November 18, 2025 (Bravanews) - The Nilza Varela Foundation continues to strengthen its presence and social impact on the island of Brava and beyond, with a number of housing projects that are already at an advanced stage of execution and others that are about to get underway. According to information provided by António Varela, head of the Foundation, the institution is maintaining a growing pace of interventions that have transformed lives and restored dignity to vulnerable families in various Brava communities.
The most advanced project is the construction and rehabilitation of a house in the Santa Bárbara area, which is already in its final stages. This intervention, described as a priority by the Foundation, responds to the urgent need to guarantee better housing conditions for a local family that was living in a situation of great structural fragility. The work includes reinforcing the foundations, completely renovating the roof, improving sanitary conditions and installing essential finishes to guarantee safety and comfort.
Another ongoing project is the restoration of the home of João and his family, known to the community for their daily work in the local cemetery. This family, which plays a fundamental and often invisible role in the life of the island, was living in difficult conditions, which prompted the Nilza Varela Foundation to intervene urgently. The work includes repairing the walls, replacing doors and windows, safe electrical installation and improving the kitchen and bathroom.
The third intervention will begin in the Achada Losna area, where the house of Mrs. Nana, an esteemed resident of the community who has lived in precarious conditions for many years, will be refurbished. This project includes the total refurbishment of the structure, replacement of the roof, new floors and the creation of a dignified environment for the home of an elderly woman who, according to António, "has long deserved this attention".
The most ambitious of the four projects is one that is still in its preliminary stages, but which represents a historic milestone in the work of the Nilza Varela Foundation. It is a housing development that could result in the construction of between 10 and 20 houses, located on one of the largest plots of land in the Vila.
This larger project was described as "a dream that we're trying to make come true", according to António. The first house in this development will begin to be built this week, while negotiations are underway with family members living in the United States to close the deal and secure the entire plot of land. The aim, according to the Foundation, is to create a modern, sustainable housing solution capable of significantly reducing the housing deficit on the island of Brava.
The Nilza Varela Foundation has established itself as one of the most active institutions in the social area of Brava, mobilizing resources from the diaspora, volunteers and local partners to improve the living conditions of the population. Residents highlight the human impact of the interventions, which go far beyond the walls erected or restored: they represent renewed hope.
With these four projects - two underway, one about to start and another in the negotiation and collective dreaming phase - the organization is reinforcing its commitment to dignity, housing and sustainable development on the island.
The Foundation promises to continue to reach out where the state and formal institutions often don't, keeping alive the philosophy of solidarity that gave rise to its name.
