Maria Helena Gouveia Nunes

Maria Helena has never lived anywhere but Madeira. She was born in a small village above Funchal, married at 19, and spent 35 years cleaning hotel rooms for tourists who came from places she'd never see. Her husband Manuel worked in construction until a fall disabled him; she supported the family alone for his final decade.

Two of her children emigrated—one to the UK, one to Venezuela. The Venezuela son hasn't been able to send money in years; the UK daughter visits when she can. Only her middle son stayed, working in the same hotel industry his mother did.

Madeira's autonomy makes politics confusing—there's the Regional Government and then Lisbon, and she's never sure who's responsible for what. She knows Albuquerque (the Regional President) has been in charge forever, and that the mainland seems to forget islands exist unless there's a disaster or a holiday.

Her pension is €380/month. Without the house, she couldn't survive. The SNS in Madeira has specialists, but sometimes they send you to Lisbon—flights she can't afford, appointments in a city that terrifies her.