Cape Green is a cooperation project between the city council of Tarrafal, Santiago, Cape Verde and Foundation Cape Green. It has the mission to promote exchange between Cape Verde and the Netherlands. Our current main activities are: planting trees, placing free computers in village schools and plastic recycling.

Foundation Cape Green is planting trees in the town of Tarrafal which will provide both shade and fruit for the citizens. These are mango trees. We do this in cooperation with the municipality. We also buy and distribute small trees to local farmers. This concerns mango trees, coco trees, papaya trees and citrus trees. In 2026 we set up our own tree nursery in cooperation with Delta Cultura. So far we have planted 500 trees.

Foundation Cape Green places computers in rural schools on the Cape Verde islands, specifically in the Tarrafal district on the main island of Santiago, where the foundation works with the municipality. Where possible, computers are placed not only in schools but also in the local community centre for access by the whole community. We do this in collaboration with the Dutch IT company 1A First Alternative and Stichting Mundo Crastino Meliori. In 2026, we placed 10 computers in the central library of Tarrafal for access by the general public and specifically the pupils of the secondary school across the street. We also fixed up the community centre in the village of Fazenda and place a set of computers there. In the village of Chao Bom we have placed a set of five computers in the secondary school.

Waste plastic is not recycled in Cape Verde but either left in the environment, in streets and on beaches, or collected and burnt in garbage dumps. This is bad for the environment, but also for the health of people. We have set up a plastic recycling program that involves the local population, especially young people. In 2026 we have imported two plastic recycling machines and started a project of educating secondary school pupils to learn how to use these machines and become aware of the fact that waste plastic in the environment can be turned into something useful. We have trained a representative of the city council as a teacher and are also working with women groups and persons involved in tourism.

Foundation Cape Green organises music and video workshops for local talents and Dutch students that we bring to Cape Verde.

Partners

Foundation Cape Green partners with the municipality of Tarrafal, a fishing town on Santiago Island, Cape Verde, where we are based. We work together with donors like A1 First Alternative, Oosterschelde shipping, Stichting Mundo Crastino Meliori, Gered Gereedschap Nederland and more.

Video and music made during our workshop with local talent.