Three decades of civil war in Angola left behind a legacy of several enduring social turmoils. A huge exodus from the countryside to the Angolan capital city, Luanda, has generated extreme poverty in the metropolis. The health and education system was basically destroyed and now there are far more orphans and abandoned children than the government can provide for.

​

Low-income families have inhabited the area in Viana, where the orphanage is based, since 1996. All these families came from the outlying provinces of Angola during the war and settled in the suburbs of Luanda for protection from military activity. 

​

Many parents leave their houses at 4 am and return after 8 pm.  Caring for the family is often left to the older sibling, even if he or she is still very young.  This means no school and much responsibility to very young children. There is little in the way of extended family support because most families were broken up during the war.

​

The Foundation was initiated by a group of individuals that were inspired by the incredible work that Sister Domingas has accomplished and wanted to raise awareness about her work to ensure that funding remains available for these and other projects.

OCSI-Angola or St. Isabel’s Children's Charity is the culmination of a lifetime of work by Sister Domingas.