The Search for a Quality Life Made Gabriela Carioba Fall for the Charm of Arraial Dajuda
Responsible for Nampur's social actions, the publicist swapped the busy vibe of São Paulo for a more laid-back routine on the south coast of Bahia.
Life on the south coast of Bahia, for the publicist Gabriela Carioba, is synonymous with simplicity and comfort. A far cry from what she was used to experiencing in São Paulo. "In São Paulo, the city puts you in a position where you always have to be ready and well dressed. It’s not like that in Bahia. Everything is calm and pleasant," she explains about the so-called quality life, which is part of Nampur's DNA.
As part of her routine in Arraial d'Ajuda, Gabriela likes to stroll along the beach in the mornings, walk her dogs Alfredo and Olívia (German Spitz), and finds time for body building and yoga. "I love doing exercise, eating well, and being at one with nature. It’s something I enjoy. I grew up on a farm until I was 6 years old, having contact with animals and plants, that's why I like it a lot," she adds.
She is the one who currently runs the real estate development company’s social project area—responsible for investing in the recovery and preservation of local culture, as well as encouraging education. Born in São Paulo, Gabriela lived for a large part of her life in Londrina (Paraná). She returned to her birthplace to study Advertising at FAAP (Fundação Armando Álvares Penteado). She worked in Marketing for a few brands, from fashion to technology, had her own brand of dresses called Le Rêver, and sold her share to dedicate herself to studying Psychology at university, about two years ago.
Softly spoken, her main strength is her active listening. "I am someone who really likes to hear what others have to say. More listening than speaking," she says. Of strong opinion, she believes in her values and loves studying. It's no surprise she went back to university to study Psychology. "I'm really discreet, I don't have this enthusiasm for social media, lots of followers. I dread it. I keep myself to myself," she ensures. Before the pandemic, she did an internship in the public network of Diadema (a city in Greater São Paulo), attending children with relationship problems or referred for consultation with a psychologist.
She follows a balanced diet, a habit she learned from her mother. On the weekends, she likes to have a "really tasty" lunch by the sea or at home. Her favorite fish is badejo, to which she adds plantain and cilantro and becomes the so-called "baiano picadinho" (A Bahian version of picadinho, a typical Brazilian dish usually made with chopped beef). Gabriele is married to Victor, the CEO of Nampur. Her relationship with the south of Bahia comes from childhood, when she would travel with her family from a young age for every vacation. But her passion blossomed with her husband and his family and all the history they have with the place.
PROJECTS
Nampur sponsors the first phase of the project Sementes Brilhantes, which encourages learning in early childhood. "It is in early childhood that we learn everything that we are going to use for the rest of our lives. That you cannot throw trash on the floor, you should respect others, and everyone has their chance to speak," she explains. "During early childhood, all the brain connections develop. Nampur thought it was interesting because we want to improve the communities in which we operate, starting at the base."
Besides this project, Nampur has collaborated with other social actions supporting the community in the south of Bahia, like the restoration of the bell in the secular São João Batista church (Igreja do Quadrado), which had not chimed for 40 years, as part of the Bell Recovery Project and the revitalization of the Escadaria da Santa (Holy Steps), in Arraial d'Ajuda.