Stories about Volunteering/Community work in BsAs needed!

[cellyham]

Hiya Expats!

I work for Idealist.org (Idealistas for the Spanish world), an organization that tries to help people make the world a better place.

I’m currently working a new project to help English-speaking foreigners connect with local opportunities for action here in Latin America—and who don’t want to or can’t pay by going through a voluntourism company. (I want to stress first that I don’t think those companies are bad; the focus on my project is just on the community of people who aren’t involved with them). A big part of this project is showcasing stories of people involved in interesting and engaging community work through a variety of media, including, but not limited to, blogs, podcasts, video, traditional print media, etc…We’re looking to put these stories not only up on our site, but disperse them to other media outlets as well (e.g. Buenos Aires Herald, Lonely Planet, etc…)

But this is where I need you. I know there’s great community work going on out there, but I need some help in finding those fantastic narratives of awesome experiences.

Specifically, I’m looking for experiences of English-speakers involved in their communities who ARE NOT paying through a voluntourism company. This could mean volunteering with a local NGO on your own or with a group, heading an independent project, working for a NGO, etc…Really, I’m open to anything. If you’re giving, teaching, sharing, learning, and more with the Argentine community, I’d love to hear about your meaningful experience.

Ideally, it’d be great if I could go around with the person and have an intimate look at what they’re involved with. Even if not, I’d love to hear your story anyway.

If you have a story yourself or know somebody who does, please respond to this thread or email me directly through [email protected].

Thanks!
Celeste

 

[Adrienne]

Hey Celeste,

I was in a program studying abroad here for a semester at FLACSO. I took a course on Aprendizaje Servicio, and through that course volunteered at Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo Linea Fundadora. I decided to stay on over the summer and am now going to take an internship with Las Abuelas de la Plaza de Mayo, volunteering in the Library and hope to return in 2011 with a fulbright. I don't know if I am someone you would like to talk to, or if you would like to talk with all the students who took my course. These two organizations are very open to volunteers from around the world.

Adrienne

 

[einnobnaej]

Celeste,

Since moving here in August, I've been working with a group called Voluntario Global, which is a nonprofit organization that links foreign volunteers with two (soon to be more) community organizations in the poor neighborhoods around Buenos Aires. (one in La Boca and one in Villa Soldati)

I can't express enough how great this organization is - run entirely by locals and mostly by community members. They really look out for the people in the communities and give volunteers a chance to get as involved as they want.

Please contact me if you're interested in hearing more. I'm in town for another couple of weeks so please contact me. Email: [email protected].

 

[cellyham]

Thanks, Adrienne. I'd love to speak with you further about your experiences; I think both those associations are amazing. And, I'd love to hear more about why you decided to stay. Can you email me with your contact info?

(I sent you a private message also, but decided to reply to this thread to make sure we connect.)

Thanks also, einnobnaej. I'd love to hear more about Voluntario Global. I'll send you an email shortly.

 

[Stanexpat]

I don't know much about Voluntario Global or Idealist.org, but the Madres of Plaza de Mayo is really just a far left political group. Some of the views of this organization and their leader Hebe De Bonafini are as follows:

The Mothers association is backed by younger militants who openly support a Cuban-style revolution in Argentina. On the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bonafini defended the actions of the airline hijackers calling them "courageous", stating that many people "had been avenged", and connecting their ideals with the cause of the guerrilla groups in 1970s' Argentina. [3]. Speaking for the Mothers, she also rejected the investigations of the alleged Iranian involvement in the AMIA Bombing (the 1994 terrorist attack on the AMIA Jewish community center), denouncing the Argentine government was manipulating them to serve U.S. interests. [4]. The Mothers have published a book[1] with a compilation of Saddam Hussein's writings, among others forms of support to the Baathist regime in Iraq [5] [6]

You can read more about this group in the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_of_the_Plaza_de_Mayo

I believe this group gets funding directly from the current Argentine government, and I believe has received funding from Hugo Chavez as well.
I wouldn't define a group with the aims and views of this group a community/volunteer organization unless your idea of volunteering is trying to set a Castro type police state there.

 

[macondo]

I don't know much about Voluntario Global or Idealist.org, but the Madres of Plaza de Mayo is really just a far left political group. Some of the views of this organization and their leader Hebe De Bonafini are as follows:

The Mothers association is backed by younger militants who openly support a Cuban-style revolution in Argentina. On the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks, Bonafini defended the actions of the airline hijackers calling them "courageous", stating that many people "had been avenged", and connecting their ideals with the cause of the guerrilla groups in 1970s' Argentina. [3]. Speaking for the Mothers, she also rejected the investigations of the alleged Iranian involvement in the AMIA Bombing (the 1994 terrorist attack on the AMIA Jewish community center), denouncing the Argentine government was manipulating them to serve U.S. interests. [4]. The Mothers have published a book[1] with a compilation of Saddam Hussein's writings, among others forms of support to the Baathist regime in Iraq [5] [6]

You can read more about this group in the link below.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mothers_of_the_Plaza_de_Mayo

I believe this group gets funding directly from the current Argentine government, and I believe has received funding from Hugo Chavez as well.
I wouldn't define a group with the aims and views of this group a community/volunteer organization unless your idea of volunteering is trying to set a Castro type police state there.

Hi, I think you misread it, she wrote "Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo LINEA FUNDADORA" that is the main group of Madres..
In fact they have BIG differences with Bonafini's group.

here: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madres_de_Plaza_de_Mayo_Línea_Fundadora (if you can read spanish)

 

[Stanexpat]

If I got the wrong group I apologise for the error.

 

[Stanexpat]

If I got the wrong group I apologise for the error.

I did get it wrong and I am sorry.

 

[Stanexpat]

Hi, I think you misread it, she wrote "Las Madres de la Plaza de Mayo LINEA FUNDADORA" that is the main group of Madres..
In fact they have BIG differences with Bonafini's group.

here: http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madres_de_Plaza_de_Mayo_Línea_Fundadora (if you can read spanish)

I was unaware that there were two groups. Linea Fundadora I read is the smaller of the two groups. Thanks for pointing out my error to me.