Introducing SOLM: Regenerative Hospitality’s Missing Half
Who are we building the future of hospitality for?
This question sits at the heart of SOLM, a new nonprofit organisation founded on the principles of regenerative hospitality; an approach that seeks not only to reduce harm, but to actively repair and revitalise the social, cultural, and ecological fabric of communities impacted by tourism and hospitality.
While conventional tourism models often extract value from local environments and people, regenerative hospitality calls for a deeper investment. Prioritising mutual growth, co-creation, and long-term care are core to this model, and make up the founding principles of SOLM. This philosophy insists that tourism should be shaped with, and not for, communities.
SOLM was created to bring restorative hospitality to life.
Rooted in land, craft, community, and care, SOLM supports places that are too often asked to accommodate tourism without being given the time or resources to shape it on their own terms. We work slowly and intentionally through initiatives that centre education, cultural preservation, environmental stewardship, and creative economic opportunity, especially for women and youth.
Why Cabo Verde?
SOLM’s first home is Cabo Verde, an island nation in the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of West Africa. Known for its ecological richness and layered cultural history, Cabo Verde is also experiencing a rapid tourism expansion- often without adequate involvement from local communities.
In particular, São Vicente, one such island, stands at a critical juncture. With its artistic heritage, volcanic terrain, and growing interest from developers, it risks becoming a site of extraction rather than empowerment. SOLM believes this moment offers a rare opportunity to build a different model for how tourism can serve rather than displace.
We are not here to impose solutions. We are here to co-create and restore.
What We Do
SOLM exists to empower local communities by bridging three essential pillars:
Education & Inclusion: we create access to education and skills training for women and youth through mentorship, leadership development, and hands-on programmes designed to build agency, confidence, and opportunity.
Conservation & Preservation: we protect and elevate traditional crafts, ecological knowledge, and land-based practices by supporting sustainable innovation rooted in local culture.
Creative Innovation: we partner with local talent to explore solutions across arts, agriculture, and design; incubating new ideas that are contextually relevant and economically viable.
Our early-stage programmes reflect these pillars while adapting to the specific needs of the Calhau community.
Our Approach
At SOLM, we don’t arrive with ready-made models. Our work is grounded in engaged field research, slow design, and deep listening. We collaborate with local leaders, co-design programmes with community members, and remain flexible in our methods.
We commit to:
Creating Access to Education & Opportunity : we invest in long-term human development through leadership training, entrepreneurship, and community-led teaching models.
Strengthening Local Economies: we support systems that reduce dependence on imports, improve agricultural autonomy, and create income-generating opportunities—with a special focus on women-led businesses.
Preserving Culture & Environment: we honour local knowledge systems, protect natural landscapes, and promote cultural practices through contemporary channels that amplify their value and relevance.
This is regeneration in practice, not a slogan, but a system of care, commitment, and collective ownership.
Our First Program: Why Clay? Why Calhau?
Our first programme begins with clay, a material rich in symbolism and utility, abundant in Calhau, a small coastal village on São Vicente where SOLM is based and where AURE, our sister hospitality project, will open its first property.
Clay connects us to place. It demands patience. It teaches process. And it offers a bridge between tradition and innovation. Working with local artisans and educational institutions, we’re reactivating ceramic arts as a tool for creative expression, education, and economic opportunity. This includes a curriculum blending ceramic foundations, entrepreneurship, design thinking, and social health, led by community members, for community members.
This is how we begin: with hands in the earth, and roots in the community.
Our Board
SOLM is guided by a multidisciplinary board of 11 members with expertise spanning Hospitality, Communications, Agriculture, Media, Design, and Technology. Their experience also includes circular economy frameworks, women’s health, entrepreneurship, and luxury brand development.
What unites them is a shared vision to build regenerative systems from the inside out, led by the people who call these communities home. Together, they support our mission of centering women and youth in the future of tourism and development.
Fundraising: Regeneration Begins Here
As we take our first steps in Calhau, we invite you to walk with us. With the support of the Municipality of São Vicente, we are activating the local Community Center as a shared space for learning, celebration, and connection.
The initial round of funds raised will support:
Launching SOLM operations and introducing the organisation to the Calhau community.
Hosting a day of celebration to mark the beginning of our journey together.
Renovating and maintaining the Community Center as a safe and creative space.
Beginning our ceramic arts and education programme.
Building awareness around SOLM’s work, values, and long-term vision.
This is more than a donation. It’s an investment in a new future, shaped by care, creativity, and community. Through SOLM, hospitality is more than a visit—it’s a commitment to supporting local communities and helping them thrive.
Join us. Support SOLM today: https://www.solm.land/give
