Proliferation of support groups for the island of Brava in the diaspora exposes serious weaknesses in transparency and accountability

According to information gathered by Bravanews, many of these groups operate informally, without public statutes, without regular financial reports and without clear criteria for managing the funds raised from the emigrant community. The situation becomes even more worrying when, when confronted by donors or members of the community themselves about the origin, destination and use of the funds, some of those in charge simply refuse to give an account.

According to reports obtained by our newsroom, this refusal has been one of the main factors of mistrust and wear and tear within the Bravense diaspora. "When someone asks how much was raised or where the money went, the answer is often silence or a hostile reaction," said a Bravense emigrant who requested anonymity. "Questioning shouldn't be seen as an attack, but as a legitimate right of those who contribute."

Bravanews has also learned that several members of some of these groups have decided to leave after identifying signs of a lack of transparency and mismanagement. Former members report situations in which financial decisions were made by a very small number of people, without consulting the collective, and without any kind of record accessible to the rest of the members. In some cases, they refer to poorly explained expenses, a lack of supporting documents and promises of accountability that never materialized.

"I joined in good faith, to help the island," says a former member of a diaspora group. "But when I started asking for clarity about the accounts, I was seen as a problem. I realized that there was no openness to transparency and decided to leave." These testimonies reinforce the perception that the lack of accountability is not an isolated episode, but a pattern that is repeated in various contexts.

Another aspect that worries the community is the constant creation of new groups, often by people who have been linked to previous initiatives that ended up embroiled in internal controversies. Instead of strengthening existing, credible structures, fragmentation is being opted for, which makes social control difficult and weakens donor confidence.

EU analysts warn that the lack of transparency could seriously compromise the diaspora's solidarity with Brava. In the long term, the risk is that donors will stop contributing, penalizing legitimate projects and the real needs of the population on the island. "Without trust, there is no sustainable solidarity," emphasizes a specialist in associations heard by Bravanews.

In view of this scenario, there is a growing call for support groups for the island of Brava in the diaspora to adopt basic practices of good governance: regular publication of financial reports, creation of specific and auditable bank accounts, clear definition of objectives and responsibilities, as well as openness to scrutiny by the community. Many also argue that transparency should be a non-negotiable principle and not an optional choice.

The island of Brava, which depends so much on the support of its children in the diaspora, deserves serious, responsible and transparent initiatives. Solidarity cannot serve as a shield for opacity or mismanagement. Demanding accountability doesn't divide the community; on the contrary, it's an essential step towards protecting the credibility of real support actions for Brava and ensuring that the aid actually reaches those who need it most.