Black sand: the daily struggle of Cape Verdean women

On the rocky beach of Charco in Cape Verde, Maria and Vania Tavares fill buckets with black sand as the waves retreat, then carry them on their heads to sell illegally. Nicknamed 'sand thieves,' they have performed this exhausting task for over 15 years to survive in one of the poorest regions of the archipelago. At low tide, they perform a silent dance for hours, struggling to keep their balance against the rough sea while carrying loads of several dozen kilograms.