On February 10, 2023, the Adventist Development and Relief Agency (ADRA) officially opened its offices in the African island nation of Cape Verde. West-Central Africa Division (WAD) president Robert Osei-Bonsu presided over the ceremony.

This is a date that will be remembered as historical for the humanitarian arm of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Cape Verde, regional church leaders said.

The ceremony took place in the capital city of Praia. Among the guests who attended were several officers from the national government, including the Secretary of State for Social Inclusion, an advisor to the president of the country, and the president of the Cape Verde NGO Platform.

Accompanying the WAD president were his colleagues, Selom Kwasi Sessou, WAD executive secretary; Markus Musa Dangana, WAD treasurer; and David Njock, president of the Western Sahel Union Mission. They also participated in the ceremony.

In an interview on national television, ADRA WAD director Emmanuel Amegnito said he is aware of the major challenges Cape Verde is facing. But it is in that challenging environment that ADRA can help, he explained. “ADRA’s expertise will be useful in terms of economy, development, agriculture, health, and education,” he said.

Amegnito promised to bring innovations in humanitarian operations across Cape Verde, identify vulnerable people, and work so that no child is left out of the educational system. He also promised to work to guarantee the safety of vulnerable women and facilitate the population’s access to health. “In this way, the vulnerable will turn to become a strength for Cape Verde,” Amegnito said.

When asked about the organization’s funding, Amegnito mentioned international funds and European organizations as sources of funding. “We also hope to receive support from the government of Cape Verde, which has long used Seventh-day Adventists as agents for distributing its funds in their fight against poverty,” he said.

Long awaited in the archipelago and having been actively present during the 1995 volcanic eruption, ADRA’s arrival in Cape Verde is a dream come true for many of the church leaders in that nation. For them and other supporters, the official opening ceremony of ADRA offices was a milestone. “It was an emotional moment for all those who are committed to a life of service in God’s name, even to the poorest of the poor in these West African islands.”

The original version of this story was posted by the West-Central Africa Division.