Joaquina Bosch Salinas, known as Quinita to those who knew her, was born in Torrevieja in 1923. Married and childless, she worked closely with her younger sister Carmenchu’s seven children, helping to raise them.

In 1974, due to personal circumstances, she decided to give her life a new direction, broaden the scope of her work, and undertake projects to help herself and others. She poured her passions, inner strength, dynamism, and leadership skills—qualities she hadn’t known she possessed—into these endeavors.

Her brother-in-law, Juan Mateo, Carmenchu’s husband, introduced her to Dr. Matilde Pérez Jover, a renowned physician from Alicante and President of the Médicus Mundi Association of Alicante. This marked the beginning of a close relationship that led them to collaborate on numerous projects.

When Doña Matilde grew old, she entered a convent, where she died. Before passing away, however, sensing Quinita’s concerns, she referred her to the Father Procurator of Missions of the Sacred Hearts, based in Palma de Mallorca.

He told her about Africa, the Missions, the terrible poverty, and the needs of the Third World. He spoke to her about Rwanda, a very poor country where they had missions and many projects that they still maintain.

Quinita spoke again with her brother-in-law, Juan, who shared her Christian faith and her desire to help and dedicate herself to others. Since Juan had been mayor of Torrevieja, he was very well-connected in the local community, as was she. Together, they rallied all their friends to trust them and agree to donate 2,500 pesetas a month, about €15, per couple, to support the Missionaries’ projects in Rwanda.

Quinita prepared for her first trip to Rwanda, and the impact upon her arrival was so profound that it changed her life, leading her to channel all her energy into fighting to alleviate the suffering and hardships of those disadvantaged people. She had a premonition of what she saw, but she never imagined the needs were so dire and urgent.

Thus, on January 2, 1975, the NGO Nueva Fraternidad (New Fraternity) was officially founded, with Joaquina Bosch Salinas, Quinita, as its founder, president, and driving force. The NGO’s primary goal was, and remains, to provide material and cultural aid to developing countries, primarily in Africa, and especially to Rwanda.

The first project was the funding of rabbit farms and their breeding. Quinita knew that the cause of swollen bellies in children was a lack of protein, and she decided to give each family a cage with a pair of rabbits for breeding, with the understanding that the recipients would return a pair of their first offspring to the NGO.

This project was followed by many others, all overseen by Quinita, the founder, as many as you can see in the «Our Projects» section of this website.

Following in Quinita Bosch Salinas’ footsteps is no easy feat, nor is acting with her altruism: she made nine trips to Africa at her own expense, and paid for all the items she bought to sell here and send the money back home. She also undertook many other projects outside of Nueva Fraternidad: she was treasurer of Medicus Mundi for eight years, treasurer of the Alicante Pro-Vida Foundation, she created the Association of Friends and Family of Alzheimer’s, where she also served as treasurer for 15 years, and she secured the opening of the Day Center.

Following the founder’s example, continuing to help wherever it is most needed, in Rwanda or in Africa in general, remains the ongoing challenge for Nueva Fraternidad, the NGO she founded.