Cadeia da Esperança is a non-governmental development organisation (NGDO), founded in Coimbra, in the year 2000.
It originated from a pre-existing cooperation between Portugal and Mozambique in the treatment of cardiovascular patients.

Since 1996, after a protocol between both countries was signed, the Cardiology and the Cardiac Surgery Units of Coimbra University Hospital have regularly received patients from Mozambique seeking specialized health care. Hence came the need to develop a humanitarian association to help solve the numerous problems relating to the treatment of these patients, especially children.

Benefactors joined health professionals in embodying this project and helping accomplish it.
The initial experience of delivering aid to Mozambique created the need to develop other, more advanced forms of cooperation. Today, medical teams are sent to that country, not only to treat the patients, but also to provide further education to its health professionals.

Cadeia da Esperança is an organisation whose main objective is to develop humanitarian aid projects in health care, specially in hospital medicine, and in professional training projects. It is a non-profit-making association and pursues no religious or political aims. Its main target is Portuguese-speaking African countries; children are its main concern and one of the essential reasons of existence.

The Portuguese Cadeia da Esperança is part of the international Chain of Hope, which congregates other organisations of the kind (in Paris, London and Brussels) under the same social and humanitarian aim.

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