SOS Children in Argentina
Argentina, the second largest country in South America, is rich in resources, has a well-educated workforce and is one of South America's largest economies, but economic collapse in 2001 left more than half the population living in poverty as the country struggled with record debt defaults and currency devaluation. Recovery is taking place, but for many Argentineans the situation is still critical, especially the poorest members of society whose living conditions are deteriorating rather than improving, with the number of people, particularly children, living below the poverty line increasing.
Argentina's first SOS Children's community opened in 1987 in Oberá, a town in the Misiones provinces in the north-east near the border with Paraguay. Initially built with six houses, the village was later extended with a further five houses, a youth house, a kindergarten and a school providing primary and secondary education for over 750 pupils, as well as vocational training and adult education evening classes.
A second SOS Children site was built near Mar del Plata, a seaside resort on the Atlantic Coast about 400 km north of Buenos Aires, in 1982. However, the location was too remote to run the village efficiently and in 1997 it was closed and a new site opened in Mar del Plata. SOS Children Mar del Plata has ten family houses and two youth houses and in 1999 a kindergarten was opened which families in the neighbourhood also use.
Argentina's third SOS Children's site opened in Córdoba in Cordoba in central Argentina in 2000. It has ten family houses which are home to over 90 children.
A fourth SOS Children’s Village is planned to be built at Lujan a suburb of Buenos Aires. It will have 14 family houses.
Local Contacts
SOS Children in Argentina:
Aldeas Infantiles SOS Argentina,
Avda. Rivadavia 2195,
Esq.Uriburu,
2do.Piso B,
1034 Buenos Aires
Argentina
Tel: +54/11/49 53 51 12
Fax: +54/11/49 53 51 12
email: info@aldeasinfantiles.org.ar
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