Africa-Press – Cape verde. Elzo Rodrigues, 30 years old, born in Santo Antão, has a degree in business management. In addition to his work in the shipping agency sector, he has the “Dam Mon” project underway. That is, hand in hand, it intends to lead Cape Verdeans to discover the charms of outdoor life, without fatigue.
Elzo Rodrigues is a nature, hiking and photography lover. Living in São Vicente, he decided to combine the useful with the pleasant and enjoy the weekends, launching himself to discover and explore the corners and charms of this island, as well as neighboring Santo Antão. And that’s how he conceived and embodied the project “Dam Mon” (give me a hand).
A project that, according to the interviewee from A NAÇÃO, is much more than “walking” through those two islands in Windward.
Usually, the experience encompasses, among others, the sharing and exchange of experiences among the participants, in the sense of also leading them to adopt a healthier lifestyle, to live more with each other, in short, to explore and know more about our islands, through “unforgettable experiences”.
“This has always been my passion”, says Elzo Rodrigues, when asked why. “As a teenager, I had a group that we went on excursions; and since I have a passion for photography, I started sharing pictures of the places we went and people started to like it; In this, I started to receive requests from people who wanted to go on excursions with me, but I didn’t just want to be a guide, take them on a walk and bring them back, I wanted to provide them with something different, something that would stick in their memory.” .
And that’s how, adds our interviewee, that the “Dam Mon” emerged, seeking to escape the commonplace. “Since my focus is domestic tourism, I looked for something that would motivate people to leave their homes, their comfort zones, to explore their islands, meet new people, and last April 2nd it was one year that I managed to put this project on its feet”.
But the ambition is greater. Elzo Rodrigues intends to break the idea that to be a Cape Verdean tourist it is necessary to leave Cape Verde, when few of our compatriots do not even know beyond the island itself. The geographical dispersion of the islands and the costs of transport, together with an education focused on the wonders of our land, are among the reasons for this great lack of knowledge.
Thus, in addition to Santo Antão and São Vicente, Elzo Rodrigues says he hopes to be able, one day, to extend the concept of “Dam Mon” to other points of the archipelago, so that all interested parties “can have the opportunity to get to know our country, to create passion and connection with our islands”.
Itineraries and frequencies
Usually, says the promoter of “Dam Mon”, excursions are held on Saturdays and Sundays, in São Vicente and Santo Antão, with groups of up to 12 people. The idea of restricted groups, as mentioned by our interviewee, is to guarantee interaction and conviviality between the participants of each excursion.
Excursions to Santo Antão, as they require more complex logistics, only take place once a month, this being a complete weekend package. The most frequent itineraries are: Cova, Paul, Ribera da Torre and Pico da Cruz. The package includes accommodation, food, transfer and boat tickets. In other words, participants will only have to live and enjoy the experience of a different weekend on Ilha das Montanhas.
In São Vicente the program is shorter and therefore cheaper. It also takes place on Saturdays and Sundays, the most frequent route being the lighthouse of São Pedro, Palha Carga and Fateja.
“The idea is not to burn people out, it’s to make them have a fun and relaxing weekend”, says Elzo.
Aside from that, the schedule is subject to the weather. That is, on warmer days, you choose places by the sea and the disclosure is carried out in advance in your social network group. And, thinking about the safety of excursionists, insurance against accidents is taken out.
partnerships
To carry out the excursions, the “Dam Mon” has several local partners. In Santo Antão, for example, the most salient name is “Sabor das Montanhas”, a space where participants, in addition to resting, have the island’s cuisine at their disposal.
At the moment, Elzo Rodrigues is in the process of closing a partnership with a nutritionist, within the same concern of providing “up to date health”, in many ways, to the participants of the “Dam Mon” tours.
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