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Sandra Nicolau
‘Travelling for a Cause’ to São Tomé and Príncipe
Who am I and what have I been up to?
My name is Sandra Nicolau, and I am someone who believes that we can make a positive difference through small gestures, solidarity and, above all, a willingness to help. My involvement in the “Travelling for a Cause” project began on an international volunteering trip to São Tomé and Príncipe, and that trip it has taken me back there ever since.
My experiences in São Tomé have shown me that volunteering is a two-way exchange: we go there with the intention of helping, but we also return transformed by everything we receive. Through this project, I have been trying to raise awareness amongst others of the importance of travelling with the purpose of contributing to a country’s development and to the well-being of its communities. ‘Travelling for a Cause’ has thus become a way of life and a belief that we can turn a journey into an opportunity to create positive changes.
So what can be done?
There is a great deal we can do. We can continue to mobilise people and create opportunities. We can raise funds, collect supplies, forge partnerships and get more people involved. I do not want ‘Travelling for a Cause’ to be just a trip. It has to be a bridge between people, between Portugal and São Tomé, between those who want to help and those who need support. All involved want to share knowledge, create opportunities, support children and young people, listen to the communities and understand what they really need.
And is that hard? No! It does not take much to make a difference. Sometimes it is a small contribution. Sometimes it is giving your time. Sometimes it is sharing an idea. Other times it is simply believing in us and joining us. In this way solidarity is turned into action, a journey into a cause and a cause into a commitment. My personal commitment is to continue believing in São Tomé, taking not only what we are able to offer but also the desire to learn, to share and to build a better future.
What has been a challenge and what has been a success?
The main challenges have been distance, logistics, limited financial resources and the need to tailor our activities to the actual needs of the communities in São Tomé and Príncipe. We have had a number of successes, even with small actions, particularly the strong involvement of volunteers, the support of partners, fundraising and, above all, the human impact created through the experiences and activities that we have carried out.
What is our impact?
The project has had a social, human and educational impact, not only on the communities of São Tomé and Príncipe, but also on the volunteers themselves and on everyone involved in the initiatives. Our greatest impact is not measured solely by the goods we manage to deliver or the activities we carry out, but by the relationships we build, the opportunities we create and the people we manage to inspire to be part of this cause.
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What’s next?
Firstly, I want to consolidate what we have already built, to strengthen our relationships with local communities and partners, and to gain an ever-better understanding of the needs we can help to address.
Secondly, our experiences have to be turned into more structured and sustainable initiatives, ensuring that our contribution is not limited to the duration of the trip but leaves something that endures after we have left.
Thirdly, we want to continue investing in children and young people through educational activities, awareness-raising and skills development, helping to create opportunities and nurture dreams.
Finally, I also want to involve more people, companies, organisations and volunteers, creating a genuine network of solidarity between Portugal and São Tomé and Príncipe. The more people who learn about the project, the more people will be able to join us on our journey that has no end point but always a next chapter. This is how we hope to keep building ever more bridges.
Get in touch with me
If you are interested in this specific ‘Travelling for a Cause’ project, or in the work we are doing in São Tomé and Príncipe, please get in touch with me:
Sandra Nicolau
viajarporumacausa@gmail.com
https://www.instagram.com/viajarporumacausa/
I am really looking forward to speaking to you. And if you like what you hear, please feel free to make a labelled donation right here, specifically for our important work in São Tomé and Príncipe.
