LI & LÁ PRINT STUDIO

The name Li & Lá means Here and There in Creole, indicating a back and forth movement between the continents of Europe and Africa, Belgium and Cape Verde. The name is at the same time a metaphor for the emigration of the Cape Verdeans (two thirds of them live abroad) and the creation of a field of solidarity based on equality.

What started as a one-man initiative turned into a recognized NGO in 2004, with mainly Cape Verdean volunteers.
The projects happened in cooperation with the municipality's social services, different schools; and the existing shelters for street children.

The aim was to achieve the greatest possible social and geographical diversity: from street boys to the children of diplomats or wealthy traders, on 3 islands: São Vicente, Santo Antão and Santiago.

Special attention was paid to the street children project in Mindelo in which a group of 14 boys participated during a period of 7 years.

From painting pebbles on Laginha beach to realizing murals commissioned by the municipality and schools.

OIALÍ

Oialí is a Creole exclamation to call attention, such as: "Look here! Hello there, join us!

This is the name I gave to the one-man projects in the first years. Later it would become an NGO called LI & Lá, associação Belgo-Caboverdiana de solidariedade.