Argentina: Improving Children Access to Education

ACDI is committed to increasing educational opportunities for children and adolescents. Due to the great importance of the use of technology in the educational process, ACDI promotes access to technology for the communities that it accompanies in their education. This year, with the financial contributions received by donations and by godparents, they were able to buy netbooks for the children who attend the Cristo Obrero school in Santa Fe. Thanks to this, students from 4th to 7th grade will be able to optimize their learning with the complementation of digital material.

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, in most Argentine educational entities face-to-face classes are carried out by subgroup methodology and activities are carried out with strict hygiene and distance protocols. In this sense, the need to have a digital device per student is essential, and this latest acquisition was more than significant for the support of teaching work and children's learning.

It should be noted that this educational institution, located in a peripheral neighborhood of the capital city of the province of Santa Fe, is attended by students who come from families in precarious and vulnerable situations, who do not have technological or connectivity resources in their homes, For this reason, having a digital device is very important for their access to education.

ACDI’s Child Support Program continues during the Covid-19 pandemic, encouraging children and adolescents to attend school despite the difficulties. The measure of social distancing ordered by the national government impacted mostly on low income students, forcing teachers to find creative ways to overcame the digital gap and addressing family’s support through one to one directed advice. Godfathers and godmothers were invited to participate and be close to children and schools by sending video messages, photos and audio.

Schools also looked after foodsecurity and clothing, establishing a new service to ship and deliver goods and donations. In those cases where necessary, school fees where covered by the program together with the internet connection that was both sponsored for families and schools. Recently in march, after the summer vacations, students managed to go back to schools, even if winter is expected to be difficult as for Europe, unless a quick vaccination campaign facilitates the situation. For now, less than the 5% of teachers have been vaccinated.

Today, our efforts are directed to support the emotional situation of the students, encouraging them to keep studying and offering them different activities and tools such as computing, gardening, plastic (art) and english workshops.