By Dirce Piloto Valera, Executive Secretary of the Platform of NGOs PLATONG, member of Forus in Cape Verde 

Cape Verde is a country situated in the middle of the ocean. Cape Verde’s geographical location is a blessing, a curse and a challenge. Apart from its underlying poverty, this small country of ten volcanic islands suffers from prolonged droughts and does not possess any natural resources. From this scenario emerges a resilient and active civil society, which is committed to building a fairer and more equal country.  

The active participation of the civil society is fundamental to building an idea and vision of an inclusive and fair state. The Platform of NGOs PLATONG took on this commitment and challenge of being the privileged interlocutor with the Governments, thus building a collective voice.   

The project of our website supported by Forus is a bridge, which crosses the islands of Cape Verde. More than a digital platform, our website is a political instrument for influencing public policies.  

Since its creation, our website has been a window to share and promote our members’ activities across all the islands. 

One of the major challenges of our platform is managing the network in an inclusive and representative way. In this context, our website has been an effective and efficient management tool: 

“Now we feel part of the Platform... even far away, we feel that it is worth being part of this network” - PLATONG Member of São Vicente [Saint Vincent]

With the sharing of information and knowledge we have strengthened our commitment to transparency and to good governance. Our participation as agents of social transformation will only be possible if we commit ourselves to legality, transparency and credibility.  

We live in a social and political context motivated by capital and competitiveness, where there is no room for the collective nor for solidarity. Our website has been a digital strategy to spread hope, Utopia and peace. By sharing life stories, suffering and inequality receive a face, a name and a home. Having a digital platform for sharing has enriched our knowledge about the reality of our members, of our challenges and our potentials. 

Having the possibility of building a collective voice of change through our website has been an exercise of citizenship and of strengthening our mission and vision.