If the best emigrate, we have to look out for the santomians who stay

A portuguese nun arrived at the end of the last century to São Tomé and Príncipe. When many of the children were still on the coast or in the bush, handed to themselves, away from the school from which the girls were traditionally separated – because it was understood that they did not need studies – and at a time when most of the little ones ate their only meal at the end of the day.

Even today there are children who have only guaranteed a meal, precisely the one provided by the Lembá Integrated Development Project, led by the missionary, born in Leiria, who directly helps more than 3,000 people in the community.

“ Some only eat the meal they eat for lunch here. And then go home. The babies, those, we tried to give them six meals. They, when they go from here, already go with the bath taken, already go with almost the dinner taken, all go with the diaper put ", underlines.

Today is still the time of abandonment of the elderly, who, “if they die there is no problem because their lives have already been lived”, laments.

But there are encouraging signs. “It also began to see that mothers already seek, even in the bush, to feed their children, they already care about their children’s snacks,” he adds, stressing that the parents who live in coastal areas are also the first to enroll their children in the different schools that welcome children between 6 months and 13 years.

Sister Lucia's students, over the years, became teachers, rejuvenating and reinforcing the project, which houses cafeterias, sewing room, doctor's office and dentist, who are also at the service of the community, in a space that still hosts a university center and provides professional training, with increasing demand.

“ Now they are looking for carpentry and woodworking because they want to go to Portugal and entrepreneurs are demanding a course, a diploma”, a certificate that allows them to emigrate, increasing the vague record of flight of young people from the country in the last five years.

The exodus “is a serious problem, (...) but there is no other solution”, in a country “in which 75% are young”, where teachers who “win 100 euros a month and spend 200 on food”, illustrates, lamenting the Santomense crossroads: “We see in our school, the best we have is that they emigrated. Those we hoped for, we had much hope (...) to develop the project, they are the ones who emigrated”.

Hold your breath, but don't lose your pragmatism. “I think that the country, because it still has enough youth, has to fight for the youth that it has here”, that is, “not to look at emigration, but at those who are here at the moment”, and, it supports, everything begins in schools.

It is urgent to “form well, for those who are here also do not be discouraged and feel well”, he adds, giving the example of success of several young people who have passed through his hands, now licensed, emigrated or with a prominent place in santomense institutions.

The missionary, 65 years old, from the parish of Caranguejeira, decorated by the Portuguese State with the degree of Grand Officer of the Order of Merit, in 2015, says she is well in São Tomé. “But if you tell me that I will go somewhere else tomorrow, I will, (...). Where I see that I am precise, where there are needs, I go ", emphasizes.

After all, he says, he trusts the work that lay people currently do in the project. And he adds, in divine providence.

In December 2024, the UN officially withdrew São Tomé and Príncipe from the Less Developed Countries category, recognizing sustained progress, but about 13% of the population lives below the extreme poverty line and more than two thirds suffer from socio-economic vulnerabilities.