While the men go the to fields, often deep into the jungle, and children go to school, the women mostly remain close to their homes and the roça, busy with everyday chores.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #africa #saotomeandprincipe #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

2014 was election year at São Tomé and Principe, one where power changed hands, and many in the island where proudly wearing the caps or shirts from their side of the election, or even hanging posters in their homes.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #africa #saotomeandprincipe #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

In São Tomé you have the constant feeling that if a piece of land isn’t used for too long the jungle will eventually take over. The trees’ roots or regular landslides that slowly tear the roads apart, the abandoned roças that were swallowed by the forest, even the beaches don’t get that much space for long and wide sand strips. It’s nature’s way to say it will reclaim its place if you blink.      São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #africa #saotomeandprincipe #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

This could have been a consulting room or a ward many decades ago, now it’s a kitchen in one of the homes inside the old hospital building at Roça Água-Izé.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

Event the apparently derelict and abandoned buildings end up being occupied and turned into homes, at least until that’s possible. Here a young girl returns from school, while avoiding the water that has invaded the ground floor of the old Água-Izé hospital building.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

The roasted corn seller and her boyfriend, at one of the streets of the sanzala (workers quarters) of Roça Água-Izé.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

From the many “roças” that existed decades ago very few remained functional until today, many are inhabited but aren’t much more that small villages. Água-Izé is one of those few, despite also being in decay like others. Here its cocoa beans are being packed in one of its warehouses.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

Often the bigger or most sumptuous buildings of a “roça” are the ones with most decay, the workers houses often were the first to be occupied as these  were, or still are, locked away from little conservation it could have.  São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠ joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

On the east coast of the island, the mouth of Abade river is used by many women from the nearby villages to do their laundry. While they’re busy with their chores, the children wait in the rocky beach where the clothes are drying in the sun.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

The interior of the massive hospital building of the Roça Agostinho Neto was being used by the young boys to play football, the canes sticking of the floor mark both the goals and spots where the wooden planks have collapsed. Nowadays is reported to be much more deteriorated…São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠photos.joaoalmeidaphotography.com/index/G00…

Not the crowd you expect to see in a football field, even one at a big plantation like Roça Agostinho Neto.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠

Sometimes all you need is just a small bit of encouragement…São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

The day started rainy, but São Tomé is a tropical island so weather should change in an hour. It didn’t, but in the afternoon Sun might shine. It didn’t, and all the day spent along the island’s north shore remained rainy. And while at Santa Catarina, the last fishing village before the road ends, I had to find shelter at the first house when suddenly rain started to pour more intensely, making plenty of time for a chat until it stopped.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

Often what seems to be an empty spot ends up having someone that was there all along. Like when I was driving towards Neves, in the north shore of São Tomé, a half done canoe drawn my attention, it was obvious I had to stop for this carved tree with the ground covered with its chips. And as I was shooting it, I was who draw the attention of some boys playing nearby, who slowly approached the unfinished canoe.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014  #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

A moment of introspection after Sunday school, while sitting in the wooden benches of São Tomé’s cathedral.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #street #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠photos.joaoalmeidaphotography.com/index/G00…

Weekends, specially Sundays, are the busiest beach days everywhere. And in those days the tiny beach by São Sebastião fort gets quite crowded, almost like as if the small city ends up there.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #street #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠photos.joaoalmeidaphotography.com/index/G00…

Along the long waterfront of the city of São Tomé, by the more and more crumbling walls that precariously separate the sidewalk from the sea, its common to meet little boys trying to fish the fish that end up so close the the city. São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #street #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠photos.joaoalmeidaphotography.com/index/G00…

After dark (and sun sets everyday at around 5pm, regardless time of year) you need something to light to the goods you’re selling at the dark streets of São Tomé. São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #street #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

By the old São Sebastião fort, and also São Tomé’s city harbor, there’s a small stretch of sand where locals go out for a swim.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #street #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…

The long seafront avenue that runs along the city of São tomé, with lovely end of day views to the Ana Chaves Bay.São Tomé 🇸🇹, 2014 #street #saotome #t3mujinpack #jalmeidaportfolio⁠joaoalmeida.photoshelter.com/image/I00…