Philanthropist and business woman María Bravo: 'We don't fully appreciate the paradise that we have until we leave'

María Bravo fell in love with Marbella and made it the epicentre of her charity work. Marbella recently paid homage to the philanthropist and business woman in naming a roundabout after her. She shared this emotional, ceremonial act with family members and friends (including Eva Longoria and Brigitte Nielsen).

-What does it mean to you to have your own roundabout in Marbella?

–It's a huge honour that I never expected. I respect the fact that they named a roundabout after someone who does charity work in Mabella. They did not do so for political affiliations but for humanity and for people who are trying to do something good for our town - it really struck me.

–How would you describe the feeling that connects you to Marbella?

–We don't realise the paradise that we have until we leave and see the rest of the world. Marbella has something special. We have the mountains, the sea and a good, charitable community. To be honest, we have everything at our fingertips. The landscape reminds me of my childhood. Although we didn't have money, my mother gave us a very happy childhood. When I was living in Los Angeles, I reflected on Marbella as a place where you feel at home, like a mother's warm embrace.

–Where did your desire to help those in need come from?

–It came from my mother, who did it completely naturally. I saw friendliness between neighbours who had no family - always making food for everyone. It reminded me of the old lady on the corner who was always alone except when my mother stayed with her. She was a great person. It can be so easy to forget about the importance of these things. Nowadays, life goes by so quickly and we don't stop for a second to think about others. There are people who need help and people who are missing their loved ones and need some emotional support. I absorbed so much of this attitude from my mother. My desire to help others came naturally when I went to the USA and I saw how badly people needed to come together (above all within the Latin community).

–Your main charity in Marbella is named after your mother. How did Casa Ángeles start?

–I have always wanted to do something in the centre of Marbella. I wanted to propose something that the town was in need of; something the government wasn't doing anything about. My first thought was an orphanage, but I realised policies would make that very difficult. After some research I saw that there was a lack of facilities where children with special needs could receive therapy and bring their families along to share moments together outside of the hospital - somewhere full of happiness instead of pain. These children spend a lot of time in hospitals and I wanted them to have a safe space for everyone that had positive associations. It was around seven years ago, with this idea that the process of starting Casa Ángeles began.

–How has it grown since then?

–We keep growing and getting better. In the last year, we have tripled the therapies that we offer. We also have an inclusive summer camp, where children with and without special needs can come together. Among the variety of children at the camps, they learn that we are not all the same, in fact quite the opposite, we are all very different and need different things in life. But what we all share is the need for love. We now have 1,600 families signed up, we provide 12,000 therapies each year and host different programmes of games and activities for the children themselves as well as parents and wider family members. We offer psychological support, yoga classes and activities so that they can all enjoy moments of relaxation and meditation.

–Another one of your networks is Global Gift Foundation. How did that come about?

–I started it in Los Angeles under a different name. We operate worldwide as well as here in Marbella. We started under the name Starlite but in 2012 we decided that among all of our projects there was a common denominator which should serve as our name. That's how the Global Gift Foundation was born - a foundation which carries out a range of initiatives across the world.

–What are some of these initiatives?

–Six years ago we started an orphanage in Vietnam. For eight years now we have had two refuge centres in New Delhi which bring children off the streets. These centres contact parents to ask permission for their children to be brought into centres so that they have a safe space instead of begging on the streets. We give them food, education and donate money to the parents so that they aren't forced to make their children beg anymore. The majority of the time, parents do this because they have no other option for survival.

–Eva Longoria is a key figure in the foundation. How would you describe your relationship?

–Well, she is my soul sister and my best friend - she blessed me with the gift of being godmother to her child. We have been friends for 28 years. We met working on a terrible film: the best thing to come out of it was our long-lasting friendship.

–You have a full list of Hollywood contacts. Do you use your connections to help your charity projects?

–I have many close friends who are artists or actors that I worked with or know from Hollywood. All of the celebrities that work with me are philanthropic and humanitarian people. We like doing things together to help those in need.

–What do you feel most proud of in your life?

–Putting a smile on a child's face or helping a mother who feels alone. Offering a home to someone who doesn't have one and making a positive impact on the world, even in a small way.