It all began with a sunset

There are places where the end of the day feels like a beginning. In Agualva, on the north coast of Terceira Island, the sun says goodbye slowly, paints the sky pink and gold and dips into the Atlantic. It was while watching one of those evenings that Sara Pires do Nascimento and Sérgio Nascimento asked themselves: what if every child in the countryside could have the same opportunities as children in the towns?

Sérgio had only recently moved to the island and noticed that there was plenty of provision for children and young people in Angra do Heroísmo and Praia da Vitória, but very little in the rural parishes. Agualva, Sara's home parish, was one of them. The couple were expecting their first child and wanted to create, right there, equal conditions for him and his friends to grow up happy.

And so, on 26 November 2009, Olhar Poente was born, a non-profit social solidarity association. The name holds on to that moment: olhar poente — "looking at the sunset" — means looking at the horizon with hope, believing that tomorrow can be better and that every sunset carries the promise of a new day.

Four children and a big dream

A month later, in January 2010, Manuel was born — the first of the many people who inspire us. His paediatrician recommended a small nursery that paid close attention to every child. A few days later, a newspaper advertised a tender to run a nursery in Vila Nova. They applied, won, and in 2010 opened the doors with four children and two members of staff.

Since then we have grown centre by centre — Fontinhas, Fonte do Bastardo, Biscoitos, Santa Cruz and, recently, São Bartolomeu — always with the same principle: people first. Today, we are one of the institutions that provides care for the highest number of children and young people in the Azores through our Nursery and After-School Activity Centre social services, with a team of almost seventy and projects that reach the whole community.

The dream goes on

We still look towards the sunset every day: in nursery play, in holiday camp adventures, in the homes repaired by SOS Casa and in every family that finds a safe harbour with us. Because what matters is people — all of them.