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Our commitment to Cape Verde: Medical care for the children of Sal and Boa Vista
3 September, 2026 Share
At RIU Hotels & Resorts, we fund two Consultorios Solidarios de Saúde Infantil (CSSI) on the islands of Sal and Boa Vista (Cape Verde) in partnership with the NGO África Avanza and the Fundação Bem Estar, quien los gestiona. These healthcare facilities provide free, universal, and permanent medical care to thousands of children aged between 0 and 13, integrating and strengthening the public health network of the Cape Verdean archipelago.
Why is Cape Verde a strategic and social destination for RIU Hotels?
Since we first landed on the idyllic island of Sal in 2005, Cape Verde has become a truly special destination for the chain. Currently, the archipelago represents almost 10% of our global hotel portfolio, featuring six establishments where we share the warmth of this land every single day.
For RIU, people and the environments where our hotels are located are a priority. In Cape Verde, 90% of our hotel staff is of Cape Verdean origin, demonstrating that our growth must go hand in hand with the well-being of the community. Within the framework of our global sustainability strategy, Proudly Committed, we dedicate priority efforts to the areas of Childhood and Health, driving social projects with real impact, such as those we maintain in the country alongside África Avanza.
The Sal Solidarity Clinic: Our first major milestone in child health
In 2023, we took a decisive step forward with the opening of the first Solidarity Clinic for Child Health on Sal Island, located at the Centro Comunitário de Chã de Matias (Espargos). This centre was established with the goal of providing monitoring, medical check-ups, and free healthcare to an estimated census of 10,000 children aged 0 to 13.
The project combines primary face-to-face care on the island with the support of specialised medical missions from África Avanza and healthcare institutes in Spain. Since its inception, the centre has successfully surpassed 10,000 medical consultations, referring complex cases to public hospitals within the national network whenever necessary and ensuring continuous preventive health monitoring.
How does the new Consultorio Solidario de Saúde Infantil in Boa Vista operate?
Following the consolidated success in Sal, in May 2026 we extended this comprehensive assistance model to the island of Boa Vista. The new centre is located within the facilities of the Posto Sanitário – Chã de Salinas, in the Bairro Boa Esperança, providing free healthcare coverage to children aged between 0 and 13.
The operation of the medical office is supported by key operational pillars:
- Local medical management: Medical operations are led by Cape Verdean doctor Manuela Santos Lima, ensuring attentive care that is deeply integrated within the local community.
- Specialised support: Continuous technical oversight is provided in coordination with a team in Spain comprising four paediatricians and one paediatric nurse, all of whom are volunteers from África Avanza and the Fundação Bem Estar.
- Management innovation: An advanced digital medical records software has been implemented, enabling standardised documentation and personalised tracking of each patient’s development.
- Initial results: During its first few weeks of operation, the centre has already attended to 373 children, with a total of 457 medical consultations conducted.
Summary table of health impact and investment data in Cape Verde
| Concept / Indicator | Sal Island Clinic | Boa Vista Island Clinic |
| Start year of operations | 2023 | 2026 |
| Target child population | ~10,000 boys and girls (0-13 years old) | 4,000 Resident boys and girls aged 0 to 13 |
| Consultations provided | +10,000 registered consultations (4,342 boys/girls enrolled) | 457 registered consultations (373 boys and girls) |
| Headquarters location | Chã de Matias (Espargos) | Health Post – Chã de Salinas (Boa Esperança). Sal Rei |
Join us in continuing to transform destinations!
At RIU, we are firmly convinced that tourism should serve as a catalyst for prosperity and health within the communities that welcome us. We invite you to learn more about our social and environmental sustainability initiatives by visiting our Proudly Committed section or by discovering our hotels in Cape Verde at www.riu.com.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
They are permanent healthcare centres established through a partnership between RIU Hotels, the NGO África Avanza, and the Fundação Bem Estar to provide free primary and specialised medical care to children in Cape Verde.
They are currently operational on two islands: on the Island of Sal (Centro Comunitário de Chã de Matias, Espargos, opened in 2023) and on the Island of Boa Vista (Posto Sanitário de Chã de Salinas, Bairro Boa Esperança, Sal Rei, inaugurated in 2026).
It is available to all children in the local communities aged between 0 and 13, on a universal and 100% free basis.
RIU Hotels & Resorts ensures the economic and operational viability of the clinics through its Proudly Committed sustainability strategy, guaranteeing ongoing budgetary funds for salaries, medical equipment, and licences until at least 2029.
The clinics are aligned and coordinated with the Ministry of Health of Cape Verde through mutual collaboration protocols, referring complex cases to the country’s public hospital network.
Cape Verde accounts for almost 10% of the RIU portfolio.In addition to its child healthcare and biodiversity projects, 90% of the staff across the chain’s six hotels in the country are of Cape Verdean origin.
África Avanza performs comprehensive social work in Cape Verde that extends far beyond medical consultations. The project encompasses training and community awareness activities, through prevention and health education talks aimed at parents, kindergartens, schools, and local associations. It also includes the deployment of a mobile clinic to reach the most remote communities.Furthermore, the NGO coordinates other key projects in the country, such as Médicos Solidarios para Cabo Verde, which is dedicated to specialised medical and surgical missions, and the +Saúde +Muller programme, focused on the prevention of cervical cancer in women.
