What We Do
Eleven areas of action, one shared goal
From the classroom to the mangrove, from the community well to the tourism circuit — Fundação Kassumay works where change is needed most.
Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism
Education
Ecotourism & Sustainable Tourism
We develop tourism that respects the carrying capacity of ecosystems and returns value to those who protect them. Every circuit is designed to minimise environmental impact and maximise direct benefit for host communities.
- Low-impact circuits across the mainland and the archipelago
- Partnerships with responsible tour operators
- Celebration of national parks and biosphere reserves
- Tourism income reinvested in conservation
Community-Based Tourism
Local communities are hosts, guides and managers of their own tourism projects — not merely passive beneficiaries. This model ensures the income generated stays in the territory.
- Guides and hosts recruited from within the communities themselves
- Community-run accommodation and food services
- Shared decision-making over local tourism development
- Training in hospitality and small business management
Culture & Festivals
Guinea-Bissau's cultural richness — from mainland Guinea to the Bijagós archipelago — is one of the country's greatest assets. We support the preservation and sharing of the traditions, dances, rituals and ceremonies that define each community's identity.
- Preservation of traditional Bijagó rituals and ceremonies
- Support for community festivals and cultural events
- Documentation and transmission of traditional knowledge
- Promotion of local craftwork to visitors
Regional Exchange
We work across borders, promoting the exchange of good practice in community tourism and conservation with Senegal, the Gambia and other West African countries — because environmental and development challenges don't stop at borders.
- Sharing good practice with Senegal and the Gambia
- Regional cooperation networks in ecotourism
- Mutual learning between West African communities
Education
We support access to school, teacher training and improvements to educational infrastructure in the communities where we work. We believe education is the foundation of any lasting development.
- Support for community schools and school materials
- Training and capacity-building for local teachers
- Adult literacy programmes
- Scholarships and support for young people's continued education
Clean Drinking Water
Access to clean drinking water is a determining factor for public health in Guinea-Bissau's rural and island communities. We support the construction and maintenance of wells and community water systems.
- Construction and maintenance of community wells
- Access to clean water and basic sanitation
- Awareness-raising for responsible water management
- Support for maternal and child health linked to water quality
Environment & Waste Management
We promote responsible waste management and environmental protection practices, in both urban centres and rural and island communities, so that growth does not come at the expense of ecosystems.
- Community-based solid waste management
- Combating coastal erosion and protecting wetlands
- Environmental education for communities and schools
- Promotion of sustainable, resilient agriculture
Clean Beaches
Guinea-Bissau's beaches, from the mainland to the Bijagós, are natural heritage and a livelihood base for fishing communities. We support clean-up efforts and awareness campaigns for their preservation.
- Beach clean-up campaigns with local communities
- Awareness against waste dumping in coastal areas
- Protection of nesting beaches and coastal ecosystems
Mangroves & Ecosystem Protection
Guinea-Bissau's mangroves — from the Cacheu river to the Bijagós archipelago — are essential nurseries for marine life and natural barriers against coastal erosion. We work on their conservation alongside riverside communities.
- Conservation of mangroves and river channels
- Awareness of the role mangroves play in sustainable fishing
- Protection of wetlands and aquatic biodiversity
Women & Youth Empowerment
Women and young people are essential drivers of community development — in fishing, craftwork, agriculture and tourism. We support their access to training, income and leadership positions.
- Support for women's associations in fishing and local trade
- Vocational training and entrepreneurship for young people
- Encouraging women's participation in community decision-making
- Capacity-building programmes for artisans and small businesses
Green Village & Green City
Our territorial development model integrates all of the above areas of action into two complementary programmes: Green Village for rural and island communities, and Green City for urban centres.
- Green Village programmes in rural and island communities
- Green City concept applied to urban centres
- Replicable models of sustainable development
Gastronomy & Tourism
Flavours of Guinea-Bissau
Gastronomy, Culture & Community
Guinea-Bissau's gastronomy is a living heritage — dishes, produce and drinks passed down through generations — with enormous untapped potential as a tourism product. We want to turn this richness into real opportunities for local communities.
Traditional Dishes
Caldo de Mancarra
A peanut-based stew with fish or meat, served with rice.
Caldo de Chabéu
A palm oil and palm fruit stew with okra, fish or meat.
Sigá
An okra dish with fish or meat and shrimp.
Pitche-Patch de Ostras
Rice with oysters, a coastal and mangrove speciality.
Cafriela
Grilled local chicken or meat with a lemon, onion and chilli sauce.
Grilled fish
A coastal and Bijagós speciality, with fish fresh from the day's catch.
Camarão de Farim
Freshwater shrimp, a regional speciality from Farim.
Mangrove oysters
Harvested from the mangroves, with great potential for community gastronomy.
Futy
A dish originally from Guinea-Conakry, now widely enjoyed and eaten across Guinea-Bissau.
Local Fruits & Produce
Traditional Drinks
Cashew juice
Baobab fruit juice ("sumo de cabaceira")- Mango, papaya and guava juice
A new tourism product: "Flavours of Guinea-Bissau"
We propose building, together with communities, a complete gastronomic tourism experience:
- Local market visits
- Visits to cashew, rice and other local producers
- Traditional cooking demonstrations
- Community lunch and dinner experiences
- Gastronomy festivals
- Gastronomic routes through Bissau, Cacheu, Quinhamel, Cantanhez and the Bijagós
- Training for young people and women in gastronomy and entrepreneurship
- International promotion of Guinea-Bissau's culinary heritage
Gastronomy and Training
The Foundation intends to give particular attention to Guinea-Bissau's gastronomy as an important element of cultural identity and tourism development.
- Partnerships with vocational schools and professional training institutions in Guinea-Bissau
- Training programmes in Guinean gastronomy, traditional cuisine and the use of local products
- Recognising and strengthening the gastronomic knowledge and culinary traditions of local communities
- Encouraging the transmission of traditional culinary knowledge to younger generations
- Promoting the use of local and seasonal products within the restaurant sector
- Encouraging restaurant owners and operators to include and promote more local Guinean cuisine on their menus
- Building stronger connections between local producers, communities, chefs, restaurants, training institutions and tourism operators
- Developing gastronomic tourism experiences that allow visitors to discover, taste and understand the food culture of Guinea-Bissau
Kassumay-EcoBissau Foundation aims to use gastronomy as a tool for sustainable tourism development, cultural heritage preservation, promotion of local products, and community empowerment.
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