Create a safe and sustainable sanctuary in Lago, Portugal

Details

• 

  Description

  We are a small family of young dreamers:
  *Diane, our witch, the visionary who acquired the land, initiated the dream, and keeps it alive.
  *marc, the dwarf, mistress of the garden and co-owner who helps expand the dream.
  *Youen/Omali, booboo, architect and project manager who brings the vision to life.
  *Sam, energetic expert of handstands, builder of walls helping us on all manual fronts with a smile.
  *Léonie, our cherished witch-herbalist whose nurturing touch brings life to everything she grows.
  *Damien, neuroscience electrician, the one who powers up our ideas with his technical genius.
  *Mathieu, the raw earth geek, shaping our world with sustainable, natural materials and methods.
  *Sofia, the magic coordinator, weaving everything together and keeping the flow of energy and plans in sync.
  *We also have Tito, Zuju Lula and Tao who actively do their part of cuddles.
  
  Current volunteers:
  
  * Peter, newest add to the family - bringing art, fun facts, and joyful inspiration to the bunch.
  
  We’ve gathered from different corners of the world to create our little haven, and anyone who feels drawn to our initiative is warmly invited to join.
  
  We nurture kindness within and around us, focusing more on the journey than the destination—if we enjoy the process, quality will organically follow!
  
  We are all individuals who never quite fit the mold, so we are building our own! Our vision is to turn this land into a safe, sustainable haven that is only getting started!
  
  We aim to create a comfortable community and a living space; we like to call it a sanctuary, especially for neurodivergent individuals, but also for anyone who resonates with the environment and feels the need to disconnect. We regularly welcome those experiencing burnout, providing a peaceful refuge where one can relax and recharge.
  
  We are not just looking for individuals to complete tasks; in collaboration with us, you will help in laying the foundation for a community where cooperation, empathy, and a shared commitment to creating positive change are the main focus.
  
  In everything we do, we aim to foster autonomy, resilience and diversity within our place in the world. Our approach to designing spaces and systems is rooted in the principles of permaculture and bioclimatic architecture, tailored to fit the unique environment around us. The project is entirely shaped by its context, and our process is primarily about listening to the land, to each other and giving rather than taking.
  
  We live together in a beautiful paradise of 2.5 hectares filled with trees, old stones, and water that needs plenty of love, care, and hard work. In our space you will find:
  
  - 60 fruit trees that produce fruit all year round (oranges, lemons, apples, pears, figs, plums, etc.)
  - Abundant garden with lots of veggies for our everyday cooking.
  - 2 hectares along a pretty river where you can swim all year round.
  - 15 minutes from Braga train station and 45 minutes from Porto airport.
  - 1100m² of buildings to renovate.
  
  Since our launch in 2022 we have already >
  
  - planted 150 trees (fruit, timber)
  - created 150m² of permaculture gardens
  - created 2 ponds
  - renovated nearly 200m² of buildings
  - built a sauna!
  - set up a communal kitchen, a wood workshop, a laundry room and 5 bedrooms
  - installed a processing workshop and a mushroom laboratory.
  - built an A-frame house
  - built a low-tech dryer, bat boxes, a cold frame...

• 

  Types of help and learning opportunities

  Help with Eco Projects

  Gardening

  DIY and building projects

  Creating/ Cooking family meals

  Help around the house

  General Maintenance
• 

  Cultural exchange and learning opportunities

  Culturally, we appreciate good vibes but that’s not what we are all about —what we value most is open communication and vulnerability. We feel a strong connection to communities like Burn, queer, integralism, ecology, tantra, circling, yoga, and more. Depending on which project you get involved in, there’s a lot to learn, as our work has many layers that we’re excited to explore with you.
  
  Here’s a little overview of what you will culturally find in our small and loving community: Diane, Youen, Damien, and Mathieu are French; Sam is Dutch; Leonie is German, both living in Portugal for quite some time; marc and Sofia are Berliners (Sofia hailing from Argentina and marc originally from Luxembourg); the cats are German, and the dog is Portuguese :) As you can imagine, there’s a lot of language exchange happening here, but we mostly communicate in English.

• 

  Help

  We have a dedicated team working on the building project and Udyana is looking for volunteers to help with additional tasks!
  
  We appreciate all skills, talents, and a willingness to contribute, we would be incredibly grateful for any extra support, input and ideas.
  
  Upcoming projects spring and summer 2025:
  
  - Yakisugi burnt wood cladding (end of April)
  - Restoration of existing windows
  - Hemp brick insulation
  - Partition walls
  - Water system for gardening - water recycling
  - Interior floor finishes, earth plasters and paneling (July)
  
  There will also be additional individual and group everyday tasks coming up as time goes, there is always something and a lot to do all around :)

• 

  Languages spoken

  Czech: Fluent
  German: Fluent
  English: Fluent
  Spanish: Fluent
  French: Fluent
  Luxembourgish: Fluent
  Dutch: Fluent
  Portuguese: Intermediate

• 

  Accommodation

  We are currently rethinking and planning the accommodation options because we're losing the main house to renovations.
  
  We will provide new tents in a shaded location amongst trees overlooking the river. These will provide a cozy and quiet spot with possibillities for hanging hammocks, relax and to take a break form the main center of activity. We love to have you and want to make sure you’re comfortable!
  
  The possibility of camper vans is ideal as we have space for parking, Damien will be your friendly neighbor.

• 

  What else ...

  Braga is reachable by bus, Porto is 45min driving, you can also take a train or bus to Porto. They're both nice cities to explore.
  
  Around here the riverside is very nice. The national park of Gerês is 1h away for good hikes and from here you can travel to Spain fairly easily, especially Galicia, which is a gem!

• 

  A little more information

  • 

    Internet access

  • 

    Limited internet access

  • 

    We have pets

  • 

    We are smokers

  • 

    Can host families

• 

  Can host digital nomads

  We have fibre optic internet and a little work space with 2 desks in the 'palace'.

• 

  Space for parking camper vans

  We have a nice parking lot in the upper part of the property but the entrance might be too low for elevated vans. There is also a big field that can be used for vans.

• 

  How many Workawayers can stay?

  More than two

Website Safety

Feedback (1)