On International Slum Day, we wanted to learn from experts what it's really like to live in this context of vulnerable housing. Wilson P. Xavier de Pina is an architect with extensive knowledge of illegal constructions, a situation that proliferates on all the islands of Cape Verde, but which this year we analyzed through the lens of the natural disaster that occurred on the island of São Vicente on August 11th.

The case of the island of São Vicente by Wilson P. Xavier de Pina:

Today, the problem of the proliferation of illegal subdivisions and constructions on the outskirts of the country's main urban centers is easily recognized by everyone. This phenomenon, far from decreasing, has been intensifying and taking on new urban, social, and economic aspects, to which the economic crisis is no stranger, directly impacting housing production systems and the process of urban expansion.

Illegal constructions are those carried out without prior authorization from the municipality, which generates serious social, urban planning, and security problems, although they often emerge as a housing solution in the face of a housing shortage. Reflection on this issue involves the conflict between the social need for housing and the importance of territorial planning, public safety, and law enforcement.

Illegal construction exacerbates climate change by disregarding environmental legislation, destroying green areas, polluting rivers and soil, and emitting greenhouse gases. It also makes communities more vulnerable to climate impacts, such as floods and landslides, because they occupy high-risk areas and are not built with adequate safety and resilience.

Illegal construction in São Vicente has contributed to the intensification of damage caused by heavy rains, especially in riverside areas such as Chã de Alecrim and Ribeira Bote. Construction in these areas impedes the normal flow of water, causing flooding, landslides, and destruction of infrastructure, as was the case in the tragedy in August 2025 that caused deaths and highlighted the island's urban fragility due to the proliferation of clandestine constructions.

In an interview with Radio Cabo Verde (RCV), the councilor for Civil Protection of São Vicente, José Carlos da Luz, highlighted that the tragedy was aggravated by the disorderly occupation of the areas, with constructions in riverbeds and unstable slopes.

“São Vicente is affected by internal migrations from the other islands. People who move to São Vicente lack basic living conditions and build in riverbeds and sometimes on hillsides,” he pointed out, acknowledging the difficulty the council faces in controlling construction.

According to data from the 5th General Population and Housing Census, the island is home to more than 1,700 tin houses – more than half of those existing in the entire country.

On Favela Day, which internationally raises awareness of these situations of social inequality, we emphasize the important issue of decent housing so that it can also create environments of personal and social well-being. What affects the local area contributes to global development, and therefore, the solutions must be collective.

We appreciate the contribution of Architect Wilson P. Xavier de Pina.