Meet Our Team
Our part dutch, part Cape Verdean guides named Judith, Jair and Gelson speak fluently Dutch, English, Portuguese and Cape Verdean. They are well connected in the local communities and are ready to share their hidden islands secrets with you on one of our tours. Join us on a tour and discover what island life can do for you, leaving all stress behind.
Judith Rietveld
Owner & True Culture Connector
Born on 05-09-1980 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. Judith fell in love with the islands in 2001 after visiting it on a holiday. After a couple of years back home she started longing to go back. From 2014 onwards she started to come to the islands every chance she got, organizing (music)festivals and much more. After longer and longer stays on the islands, she realized that next to the joyful and care-free lifestyle there is also a more serious (and developing) side to the islands. A side that needs more attention and awareness therefore wants to share with the world. Her experience with the people and the culture made her into the person she is today. Cape Verde has a special place in her heart and quickly became part of her life’s mission; bring people together and work towards a better connected Cape Verde by promoting self-worth and a sense of pride by empowering the local community. Judith has been living in Cape Verde permanently since 2019.
Jair Semedo
Travel Connector
Born on 30-05-1995 in Santiago, Cape Verde. When you say Jair, you say nature. Jair is a man that is one with the nature around him. Grown up without a stable home-life he eventually came under the care of SOS Children’s Villages. There the people took him under their wing and soon became his family. Jair has had a turbulent life that took him to some dark places but only made him stronger throughout the years. He managed to change the negative into the positive and loves to share his experiences and learnings with the people around him. Jair is very knowledgeable about the rich history of the Cape Verdean islands with detailed information about the human slavery in the 1500’s. As SOS Children’s Villages has done so much for him in the past he is determined to return that favor in time by making a positive impact to the social and cultural positions within the community. In his downtime Jair loves to dance and is therefore very flexible in the hips. Once started it’s hard for him to stop so just be aware, we have warned you!
Gelson Monteiro
Travel Connector
Born on 08-01-1979 in Fogo, Cape Verde. Gelson was born on the island of Fogo and used to be a fisherman. After 18 years of looking out on the see, he decided it was time for a change and chose a different career path for himself. Currently he is working to become a well-respected artist in Santiago by making fine jewelry and small accessories in his atelier at home. He sells his pieces at a small shop in the (main) shopping street together with other young (upcoming) artists. He truly is a man of the island and very well connected in the community and art-scene. The island holds no secrets for him and he knows how to find those undiscovered places of beauty on the island that not even the locals know. Next to being an artist Gelson is a well-rounded storyteller, a happily married man and father of 4. He knows what to do in days of the good and the bad and is never shy of sharing his experiences with you.