Amazing Quest - Stories from São Tomé and Príncipe - Somewhere on Earth
- 7 months ago
Amazing Quest - Stories from São Tomé and Príncipe - Somewhere on Earth
Straddling the Equator, the islands of Sao Tome and Principe form a volcanic archipelago known as “The Islands in the Middle of the World.” Situated off the coast of Gabon and isolated from the rest of the world, this is one of Africa’s smallest countries. The population is a mix of the descendents of slaves and the original Portuguese colonists. In these unspoiled islands, where Nature is so generous, the inhabitants of Sao Tome and Principe enjoy a paradise of jungle, mountain and ocean.
Márcio GONÇALVES has always felt a very close bond with the sea. So, naturally, he has become the guardian of this vital, living element. He works for MARAPA, one of Sao Tome’s first environmental protection NGO’s. Thanks to this organization Marcio has been able to live out his dream of protecting his unspoiled island and the wildlife that live there.
Diamantino VASCONCELOS is a farmer and like most of the islanders, he has a patch of land for his own use in the middle of the forest. There, he harvests the bean that is the symbol and pride of his country: cocoa. Everyone in the neighborhood knows and likes Diamantino thanks to his great talent as a singer and actor…
Maria DO CEU MADUREIRA is Portuguese but she has adopted the island of Principe as her home. She is doing research in ethnopharmacology for the prestigious University of Coimbra in Portugal. She is a specialist in plants and their medicinal uses. Discovering new treatments to relieve and heal people is the goal of Maria’s whole life and why she is tirelessly hikes through the mountains of these islands.
Straddling the Equator, the islands of Sao Tome and Principe form a volcanic archipelago known as “The Islands in the Middle of the World.” Situated off the coast of Gabon and isolated from the rest of the world, this is one of Africa’s smallest countries. The population is a mix of the descendents of slaves and the original Portuguese colonists. In these unspoiled islands, where Nature is so generous, the inhabitants of Sao Tome and Principe enjoy a paradise of jungle, mountain and ocean.
Márcio GONÇALVES has always felt a very close bond with the sea. So, naturally, he has become the guardian of this vital, living element. He works for MARAPA, one of Sao Tome’s first environmental protection NGO’s. Thanks to this organization Marcio has been able to live out his dream of protecting his unspoiled island and the wildlife that live there.
Diamantino VASCONCELOS is a farmer and like most of the islanders, he has a patch of land for his own use in the middle of the forest. There, he harvests the bean that is the symbol and pride of his country: cocoa. Everyone in the neighborhood knows and likes Diamantino thanks to his great talent as a singer and actor…
Maria DO CEU MADUREIRA is Portuguese but she has adopted the island of Principe as her home. She is doing research in ethnopharmacology for the prestigious University of Coimbra in Portugal. She is a specialist in plants and their medicinal uses. Discovering new treatments to relieve and heal people is the goal of Maria’s whole life and why she is tirelessly hikes through the mountains of these islands.