Patrick Rodrigues is the founder of Cape Verdean Beautiful People (CVBP). CVBP is a page with almost 90,000 followers from all over the world and a team of over 100 people. CVBP is one of the largest Cape Verdean platforms in the social media world.
CVBP started in 2014 and gained stardom with a youtube video created by Patrick Rodrigues himself. The purpose of the video states Patrick “was to unite Cape Verdeans from all around the world and bring us closer together.” And the video did exactly that. The video went viral among Cape Verdeans and to this day it has over 100,000 views on youtube. Check out the video: https://youtu.be/X1R38WIVdxU
Patrick was born in Brockton, Massachussets, to Cape Verdean parents, both born in the Cape Verdean island of Fogo. With Cape Verdean parents and a strong community of Cape Verdeans in Brockton, Patrick learned the language spoken in Cape Verde, Creolo.
Patrick is very proud of his Cape Verdean ancestry and utilizes CVBP to “promote the people of Cape Verde and also our beautiful culture.” He continues, “CVBP is now known as media platform that is helping the poor, the elderly and the children of Cape Verde Islands via financial assistance.”
Patrick has a vision of a Cape Verde without poverty. He says: “I truly believe in my heart that if every Cape Verdeans from around the world unite we can make a difference in Cape Verde. We can put an end to the poverty crisis in Cape Verde.”
Patrick believes in this mission and attests to it with personal contributions that he has made to help Cape Verdeans in dire need. He says, “I was able to donate money to help Mannuel, a man from Fogo, whom after his sister died he was left to take care of her four kids on his own. He had no electricity and no running water. I was able to donate money for him to get electricity in the home and to buy food for him and his sister’s children.”
Patrick highlights other generous donations, not to boast, but to inspire other Cape Verdeans from all over the world in this honorable cause to end poverty in Cape Verde. He says, “I have feed over 100 kids in Cape Verde that have poor families. I have bought soccer balls for kids in the poorest communities where their families can’t afford to buy them a soccer ball. I made a $ 100 donation to the Church of The Nazarene in Brava to help them feed families in need who attend that church.”
Patrick was recently in Cape Verde and he speaks of a 60 year old woman named Fatima from the Cape Verdean Island of Brava that he was able to help. Fatima was suffering from a tooth pain for a few months and she would abuse alcohol to medicate the pain. Patrick says, “I was able to buy her tooth pain medicine and I also took her shopping for dental hygiene supplies. She got a new tooth brush, tooth paste and mouthwash. I also bought her a food for her and her family.”
Patrick emphasizes that the needs of the people of Cape Verde are as urgent as “families who need money to buy baking supplies to sell cake in order to feed their children” to as grave as “a lady named Bebe who has a tumor on her neck and she is now able to seek medical attention and get surgery for her tumor” due to a generous donation.
Z**i
The stories of Patrick’s generous endeavors are extraordinary. However, none may be as extraordinary as his encounter with Z**i De Maria Boneca. A 77 year old women from the Cape Verdean Island of Fogo who was abandoned by her family. Her brothers immigrated to the USA and she has not seen them in over 50 years. Her only son committed su***de and she lives alone.
One of Patrick’s encounters with Z**i was filmed live via Facebook Live. It has now been viewed over 43 thousand times.
https://www.facebook.com/capeverdeanbeautifulpeople/videos/vl.384625815598445/670773423353864/?type=1
Patrick’s dream of all Cape Verdeans coming together to end poverty is clearly seen as possible after the Facebook Live with Z**i was transmitted.
Patrick states, “After I did the first Facebook Live with Z**i Cape Verdean musicians in Brockton organized a benefit concert for Z**i. It included over 20 artists and they were able to raise over $2,000 for Z**i. This money will go towards remodeling and fixing Zizi’s house. It needs urgent and major repairs.”
Patrick also states that it’s not just about the monetary contributions that will make a difference. He says, “I also shake everyone’s hand that I meet and let them know that they are not forgotten and that the international Cape Verdean community loves them and cares about them. I have spent time visiting the nursing home in the island of Brava. I have spent a lot of my time in Cape Verde with children, playing soccer with them and giving them good advice about staying in school, saying no to drugs and staying out of trouble.”
HOW TO TEAM UP WITH PATRICK
Patrick states, “I opened a GoFundMe account where all people can contribute to help out in this journey to end poverty in Cape Verde. I can not do this alone. I need help from the world, from the international Cape Verdean Community.”
Will you help Patrick in this mission to end poverty in Cape Verde by making your donation? Donate now.
© Patrick Rodrigues - [email protected]
Creator of Cape Verdean Beautiful People
