I've tried to create an AppleID on several devices and keep getting a message that it can't be created.

Background info: I am in Cape Verde, Africa and want to give an older iPad to a friend's daughter to use for school. I wiped it clean and tried to set it up as a new iPad. I created an email through gmail and used this to make the new account. I received a message that it could not be created. I then tried on 2 MacBooks, an iPhone and another iPad and got the same message each time. It tried selecting different countries and am using a VPN to act as through I'm in the US. Nothing works. How can I make an Apple ID for her so she can use this iPad? Thank you in advance for any help.