On a rugged beach in Cape Verde, Maria and Vania Tavares spend hours collecting black sand from the receding tide, carrying heavy loads to stockpiles where the material is sold illegally. For more than 15 years, the women, along with others from their community, have engaged in this physically demanding work as one of the few available means of earning a livelihood in one of the island nation's poorest regions.

The group operates near Charco Beach, close to Ribeira da Barca on Santiago Island, an area far removed from the scenic beaches that attract tourists to other parts of the archipelago. Over time, intensive artisanal sand mining has transformed the landscape into a barren expanse of stones and craters. The original beach has largely disappeared, forcing miners to extract sand directly from the water despite the risks, including the fact that many cannot swim.

Sand mining has been illegal in Cape Verde since legislation was introduced between 1997 and 2017, with penalties including fines and imprisonment. However, enforcement remains inconsistent, and authorities appear to tolerate the activity when it is tied to survival, with those interviewed reporting no police encounters in the past three years.

The sand collected by these women is sold at significantly lower prices than legally quarried materials, making it an attractive but unregulated resource for contractors and resellers. According to Maria Eleonore Monteiro, one of the miners, it represents her only option for employment, despite the physical toll and frequent injuries sustained on the rocky terrain.

Historically, sand was a critical resource fueling urban expansion in Cape Verde during the 1980s and 1990s, with much of the capital, Praia, built using this natural material. However, decades of unauthorized extraction have resulted in severe environmental damage. Samuel Leal, an agricultural engineer with the Ministry of Agriculture and Environment, highlighted the devastating impact on areas such as Praia de Areia Grande, where sand mining destroyed a natural coastal barrier. This led to the intrusion of seawater, soil salinization, and the loss of farmland, forcing nearly 100 farmers to abandon their fields.

Government efforts, including crackdowns and awareness campaigns, have sought to reduce illegal sand mining in recent years. Leal acknowledges these measures have helped mitigate some damage, though challenges remain. Local NGO director Ana Veiga criticizes the authorities for failing to offer social reintegration plans for women involved in sand mining. Her organization has worked to help dozens transition to alternative livelihoods, such as livestock farming.

For many miners like Monteiro and the Tavares sisters, the hope persists that assistance and new opportunities will eventually allow them to abandon the hazardous work that has shaped their lives and scarred their environment. Until then, the sands of Cape Verde’s shores continue to bear the weight of both economic necessity and environmental strain.