Senioura Nilzete

At the age of 18 Donna Nilzete adopted her first orphan son. Shortly after she took in three more orphans when living in the countryside of Bahia. In 1964 she moved to the city of Salvador with 26 orphans.

In 2008, at the age of 78, she now manages three houses and looks after over a hundred and forty children:

Senioura Nilzette is pictured here with one of our Trustees Jewel on a recent visit.

1) Baixa de Quintas:

The house, that belongs to her family and provides shelter to 56 children - the younger ones, including babies. All of them are brought by the Guardianship Council (Conselho Tutelar) and by families who say they can't look after their children any longer (this happens sometimes with very poor families).

2) Simoes Filho:

Provides shelter to 63 people - adolescents and adults. The house was donated by the priest of a local church. The priest made a symbolic contract of 20 years of rent so, then, the house could not be taken by the next parishioners. After 2 years, when the priest died, some parishioners have tried to take it back to develop new activities for the community. As Mrs. Nilzete states, two members of the church (jácomos) have donated the house to the Institution, but it needs the registration of documents which we are assisting with.

3) Cidade Nova:

Provides shelter for 22 girls

Why does Mrs. Nilzete do this work?
She says: - I can't see a child suffering, a child crying - I just have to try and help them.

Today Donna Nilzete's main concern is what is going to happen when she dies. COB are working to help with this concern.

Children of Bahia also provide a regular monthly donations, pay several bills, and also provide educational support for the children and training for Donna Nilzete's volunteer staff.

Please help if you can!