The Face of U.S. Assistance to Cape Verde

The United States supports Cape Verde’s economic development in a variety of ways. More than 40 Peace Corps Volunteers, spread over 8 of the 9 inhabited islands, are engaged in teaching and community development.

Peace Corps Volunteer Toby Syrus teaching a mechanics class at the Techical Highschool in Assomada

Peace Corps Volunteer Alexis Adorno with children in a Cape Verdean preschool. The furniture was donated by the American NGO ForCHILDREN, Inc.

Because rainfall on the islands is so scarce, Cape Verde has to import nearly all of its food needs. The United States, through donations of food assistance under PL-480, is one of Cape Verde’s important partners. This five-year $15.7 million food assistance program, which is administered by a U.S. non-governmental institution called ACDI/VOCA, extends to four islands and reaches the majority of the archipelago's population.

PL 480 Corn Arrives in Praia

The food assistance is sold in country, and the funds generated by the sales are used by ACDI/VOCA to help maximize food security and agricultural output of the country. In this regard, drip agriculture has been a major help to increase yields from the limited arable land available, while using water in the most efficient way possible. The effects of such drip-irrigation agriculture can be seen very clearly in the following picture:

Rural Drip Agriculture

Effect of Drip Agriculture

The U.S. military also has an active humanitarian assistance program. Over the last several years, the U.S. European Command (EUCOM) has financed over a million dollars worth of projects on the various islands, building community centers which can be used in the case of natural disaster, but which are also available for local grass-roots needs such as libraries and cultural centers. The picture below shows one such project under construction on the island of Fogo:

EUCOM- Financed Community Center