Angelina Jolie is the proud mother of six 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, one of whom is her eldest daughter, Zahara Marley Jolie-Pitt. Jolie adopted Zahara in 2005 after visiting an Ethiopian orphanage with her first adopted son, Maddox Jolie-Pitt. Zahara was around 6 months old when Jolie completed the adoption process, joined by Maddox and her now ex-husband, Brad Pitt, who would go on to adopt Zahara as his daughter later.
After bringing Zahara home, Jolie felt her mother’s instinct kick on. Her daughter wasn’t drinking as much formula as she should have at her age so Jolie took her to the doctor. It turned out Zahara had a salmonella infection and was treated with antibiotics and fluids. Dr. Jane Aronson, who treated Zahara, told People, “[Jolie] was there 24 hours a day, keeping watch. She kept saying how much she admired her 𝑏𝑎𝑏𝑦. She had so much admiration and respect for Zahara’s strength.” Thankfully, the infant made it through the bacterial infection and she and Jolie would go on to form a strong and unbreakable mother-daughter bond.
Zahara inspired Angeline Jolie to found a clinic in Ethiopia
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Angelina Jolie is well-known for her humanitarian work around the globe. She established an Ethiopian clinic in honor of her daughter, Zahara Jolie-Pitt, when she was 3 years old. The clinic, named after Zahara, is designed to help 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren receive treatment and care for those with tuberculosis, HIV, and AIDS. “Our goal is to transfer the success we have had in Cambodia to Ethiopia where people are needlessly dying of tuberculosis, a curable disease, and HIV/AIDS, a treatable disease,” Jolie stated, referring to the 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren’s clinic she established in Cambodia and named after Maddox Jolie-Pitt (via The San Diego Union-Tribune).
In 2009, Jolie traveled back to Ethiopia with 4-year-old Zahara and her other daughter, Shiloh Jolie-Pitt. According to a source close to the family, it was Zahara’s first time back in her native country after being adopted by Jolie. “The trip was about keeping up that culture for her,” the insider shared with People. Zahara returned again in 2019 with her mother and sister to meet the first female president of Ethiopia, Sahle-Work Zewde. The women spoke about the importance of the availability of sanitary pads to young girls so that they don’t miss school, as well as the topic of education. It looks as if Zahara is following in her mother’s footsteps and she has since accompanied Jolie to other important events.
Angelina Jolie often brings Zahara to meet influential people
Angelina Jolie is a great role model for her 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren when it comes to fighting for human rights and it seems Zahara Jolie-Pitt is passionate about it as well. In December 2021, Jolie brought along Zahara to Washington DC to meet women in power to discuss the Violence Against Women Act. “We need reforms including judicial training, trauma-informed court processes that minimize the risk of harm to 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren, grant programs for technology to detect bruising across all skin tones and create non-biased forensic evidence collection, and protections for the most vulnerable,” Jolie shared on Instagram, while sharing a snap of Zahara standing next to Representative Sheila Jackson Lee.
The following year, Zahara accompanied Jolie to another important Violence Against Women Act event. “Heading into the Senate’s introduction of the Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act, I’m grateful and humbled to join with dedicated advocates and legislators. I’m also glad to share in the advocacy with Zahara — and for her presence to calm my nerves before today’s press conference,” Jolie wrote. The “Maleficent” actor has much to be proud of and Zahara’s future looks bright as she is currently attending a prestigious school.
Angelina Jolie had a hard time sending Zahara off to college
Zahara Jolie-Pitt is all grown up and left home for the first time in 2022 to attend the historically Black Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia. It wasn’t easy for Angelina Jolie to say goodbye to her eldest daughter and a source told Hollywood Life, “Sending Zahara off to college has been tough for Angelina, but luckily her kids have been stepping up to make sure she doesn’t get too down about it. They’re all teenagers now, but they’re still so in-tune with their mom, they know when she needs some extra TLC.” The insider shared that her other 𝘤𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥ren have been taking care of Jolie by cooking her dinner and hanging out with her at home. “Angelina says she feels like the luckiest mom to have such great kids,” the source added.
It looks like Zahara is adjusting nicely and has already bonded with a group of young women. Jolie shared an Instagram pic of her daughter posing with her fellow college attendees. “Zahara with her Spelman sisters! Congratulations to all new students starting this year. A very special place and an honor to have a family member as a new Spelman girl,” Jolie captioned. Despite being miles away, Zahara and Jolie still find time to be together and their mother-daughter bond remains as strong as ever.
