Home for Children Program in South America, Argentina

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This Hogar (Home) receives children and adolescents who have been victims of abuse, physical or psychological harm caused by their parents or caregivers. Here they intend to do everything possible to ensure that children grow up healthy and happy, providing shelter, education, food, clothing, and healthcare. Most of them come from very poor neighborhoods and extreme poverty. Their lack of stability in their lives is reflected in their behavior. Basically, the idea of the Home is to generate the feeling of a family where children can receive the education, care and attention that their families were not able to provide. Some of the children are HIV positive; and many of them have behavioral disorders.

Background Information

The NGO that runs the houses was founded in 1999, and the first house started working in 2000. Voluntario Global has been helping at this project since 2007. The NGO tries to maintain a bond between the children and a family member, even if it's not a direct parent, as they want to rescue the relationship they can have with the children in the future.

The ultimate goal is to allow the children to grow up in a safe environment and give them the attention their own families cannot. Each home houses around 15 children and two people taking care of them at a time. These people are called "tías" (aunts) and are responsible for the cleaning and taking care of the children. Volunteers help in many different areas according to the needs of children and coordinators.

The children that live here need constant support and the main goal of the organization is that they live in a secure environment, have a safe upbringing and quality education. Because of the hardships these kids had to face, they need attention, patience and a lot of love. Many of them experienced situations of violence within their families, mistreatment, abuse or their parents are in prison or in rehabilitation for mental problems. There also are HIV+ kids who were abandoned by their parents.

The organization tries to work like a family, ensuring that all children are surrounded by caring people. The word "orphanage" is rarely used because it has a negative connotation -and most of the children are not orphans-. Instead, we use the word "home" and the children call the people that work there "tía" or "tío", which means "aunt" and "uncle".

Why is this project important for the community?

Projects like this are an essential part of the community’s wellbeing as they aim to educate the children who will build the future. The people that work with these children act as their parents and take full responsibility on them. This includes taking them to the doctor when they’re sick, attending therapy visits, participating in school activities and taking care of them during holiday periods. They also try to work on educating them and begin to build a more stable life. NGOs like this one work with very little support from the government, therefore, they must look for private funds to be able to provide the children what they need to have a safe and decent life.

Taking care of these children requires a lot of patience, because many of them experience complicated moments that impact in their everyday lives, which can sometimes drive them to be violent. These children have to fight against their past and need stability in their lives. The best way to help them is to try to understand them, listen to them and take care of them, in order to show them that they are not alone.

Role of the Volunteer

The volunteer has the opportunity to do a multitude of things such as help the "tias" organizing activities, play with the children, help to feed them during lunch time, help in the cleaning process and much more! This help is invaluable for both the children and the organization.

The standards of living of some of the children takes a toll on their behavior as well. They can sometimes act violently, thus adults have to try to subdue them in case of fights and explain to them that violence is not the solution. One way to help them release their anger and energy is through art or sport activities. The volunteer represents an adult and responsible person they can trust and refer to in case of problem or emergency.

What can you learn as a volunteer?

Volunteer can share their own experience and ideas with local staff. Different viewpoints represent a wealth for this place and all initiatives are well received. Volunteers benefit from the company of children, who always have energy and whose smiles make us happy every day. This project is perfect for those studying careers in Pedagogy, Psychology or Social Work and it is also a place to put your Spanish skills into practice and learn from a new culture.

How does your work impact on the community?

The volunteer is like a new member of the family, whose main role is to play with the children and try to give them any additional support they might need. In such full houses, there is also a multitude of things to do such as helping with the food, cleaning or picking the children up from school or kindergarten. Every day is different and so are the children. Some of them can live there for a very long time, and others only stay during a time of hardship. Thus, it is necessary to be attentive, understanding and to have imagination to set up various activities and entertain the children. The volunteer’s personal experience and different culture makes them an important influence for the children as well because it provides them with an opportunity to learn.

Schedule

The Homes are open all year round, but volunteers usually work Monday through Friday either during the morning or afternoon. Volunteers will be assigned a specific schedule according to needs.

Location

The Houses are located in the middle-class neighborhoods of Beccar and Olvios, North of Buenos Aires. They are about 40-minute far from the center of Buenos Aires and easily accessible by public transport.

Fee Required

jfranco@voluntarioglobal.org

http://www.voluntarioglobal.org/en/volunteer-opportunities/childcare-children/item/655-home-for-children

Fee includes: Placement + Accommodation. Pre departure information. In country coordination. Tutoring and Exchange Volunteer Meetings.

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