Brava: Emigrants in the US unite with residents and give children a different “smile” for this Christmas

Almost all children in Brave had the opportunity to receive a gift for this Christmas, thanks to emigrants residing in the USA and local groups who came together to “brighten up” this festive season for the little ones.

Speaking to Inforpress, Adalgisa Santos, a member of the Bravenses Unidos group, made up of children from the island in the United States of America (USA), said that this year she managed to fulfill her dream, explaining that since she was a little girl, because she does not have the conditions and does not receive a gift, he had promised that when he could afford it, he would work to offer each child a toy.

“This year, thank God, I managed to reach almost all the children on the island. At least those who participated in the activities we organized all left with a present in their hands”, said this emigrant.

Adalgisa Santos said that for more than 20 years she supported the school of Lém in the city of Nova Sintra, but in 2006, when visiting the island of Brava, she received several requests from other schools and upon returning to the USA, she decided to create a group to support all schools of the island with different materials, but also included the Health Department, Red Cross and individual people according to the need and availability of the group.

Adérito Lopes, also a member of this association, is on Brava Island and said that at the moment the feeling is of “great satisfaction” because they have already visited almost all the areas and all the children had the opportunity to receive a gift, which he, for example, as a child, he didn't always have this chance.

Supporting this group, there were some parents and guardians from Brave, including Arminda Monteiro, who gave a positive note to this gesture, stressing that she had already participated in various activities promoted by emigrants, but of this dimension, covering all areas of the island, had never witnessed.

Likewise, Maria Antónia, another Brave native who joined the group, considered this initiative to be commendable, taking into account that at this time all children are waiting for a gift and not all parents are able to give their children this joy.

Within this festive season, children from the town of Ponta Baixo, also in the city of Nova Sintra, had the opportunity to get together this Sunday, in an activity organized by residents of the area and financed by emigrants from the area residing in the USA and Portugal, to play and receive their Christmas gifts.

Vanusa Monteiro, resident and member of the organizing committee, stressed that this activity is now in its second edition and only takes place thanks to everyone's “djunta-mon”, with the sole objective of “seeing the smile on the faces of all children”. .

To parents and society, Vanusa Monteiro asks them to cultivate in children the Christmas spirit of sharing and moments, away from technology in order to cultivate the habit of conviviality.