When Dirce Aires retired, she found herself becoming lonely. Thankfully, a friend put her in touch with a project at her local social centre which has helped her to make new friends and become active again.

The CLDS 3G Bragança project is based at the Santos Mártires Parish Social Centre in Bragança, a densely populated area in northern Portugal where Dirce came to live and work nearly 60 years ago.

Dirce says, “I am 77 years old, I was born in Bemposta and I came to Bragança to work as a domestic worker 58 years ago. I was always very active and then suddenly I had nothing, because I stopped working. Meanwhile a friend and neighbour told me about the CLDS 3G project, in the Santos Mártires Social Centre, and I came to find out what they did. And right then a door opened for me. I began to forget my woes and to be happy and cheerful and socialise with people.”