After researching Argentina’s program, Asignación Universal por hijo para protección social, I decided to further investigate the United States programs and benefits offered for education enrollment. To my surprise, I discovered that there are no tax credits for high school and elementary school children.
After researching Argentina’s program, Asignación Universal por hijo para protección social, I decided to further investigate the United States programs and benefits offered for education enrollment. To my surprise, I discovered that there are no tax credits for high school and elementary school children. Tax benefits for paying educational costs for yourself, or for another student who is a member of your immediate family apply only to higher education. The United States education system for elementary and secondary schooling is mainly provided by the public sector from three levels of government including federal, state, and local. School is compulsory for all children, usually beginning at the age of 5 or 6 with elementary school, continuing through middle school, and ending with high school at the age of 18. Some states allow students to dropout between the ages of 14 and 17 before finishing high school, while other states require children to stay in school until 18 years of age.
Due to the fact that a large portion of school revenues come from local property taxes, public schools vary widely in the resources they have available per student, as well as regulations per district. For the most part, school curricula, funding, teaching, employment, and other policies are decided through locally elected school boards with jurisdiction over school districts, while education standards and educational financing is decided by the state governments. Even though the government offers no tax-deduction to families with elementary or high school students, there are a few loop holes. One option could be the recipient of a tax-deductable via charitable contributions to the school. Otherwise, families are persuaded to encourage their children to attend a college or university of higher education, receiving numerous opportunities of tax credits, benefits, or deductions. Two of the most common tax credits received would be the Hope Learning Credit, and the Lifetime Learning Credit. The Hope Credit is worth up to $1,500 for a student’s first two years of higher education if you spend $2,000 or more on tuition fees. As for the Lifetime Learning Tax credit, a student may receive up to $2,000.
Many people can take advantage of this tax credit as long as they are enrolled and attending at least one college course. The tax credit can be claimed for anyone on your tax return, including yourself, spouse, or children, whether they are returning to school to learn a new language, advance their career, or simply to explore a favorite subject. The United States also provides students with the opportunity to apply to many different scholarships, fellowships, need-based education grants, and qualified tuition reduction in order to promote higher education and make it more affordable for more people. When comparing the two strategies of Argentina and the United States, I feel that both governments are working towards stressing the importance of education and enrollment. The program, Asignación Universal por hijo para protección social, is focused on motivating unemployed or unregistered families to continue to send their children to school. It seems that the United States does not offer this genre of people much compensation or motivation to continue education. The United States has focused all benefits or tax cuts on students of higher education. After further investigation, it would be interesting to see how Argentina’s newly enforced program for child allowances, will effect child enrollment into schools. It is a program that the United States should begin considering and discussing for its unemployed families with children.
This Friday Voluntario Global hosted a fundraising event for one of our projects . The event was a benefit concert organized by ‘Music Is My Sanctuary’. I had attended the previous fundraiser which was during my first week in Argentina back in September and I had absolutely loved it. It was alot more fun than any fundraisers I had ever been to back home and showed me a great way to raise money and have a good time - through music. So I had widely promoted this next one to my friends. Part of me thought that maybe my newness to Buenos Aires was the reason that I had enjoyed the last one so much. But I was wrong, this fundraiser was just as fantastic as the first if not better
It was hosted in a different, bigger location which changed the atmosphere of the event; people were able to dance and did so all night long. The music was mostly great, minus a rather bizarre middle-aged English duo – they did my country no favours amongst the avid music fans beside providing comic amusement! Some bands had performed at the previous fundraiser but there were new ones there aswell, including a great band called The TenSixties who took full advantage of the fact that it was Halloween on Sunday and took to the stage in varying degrees of costume! My favourite band from last time, Mala Macumba, was the final act and they were just as good second time round. Some musicians took part in more than one performance and all supported and enjoyed each others music which was great to see.
Everyone that came seemed to be having a great time especially as the evening cost a mere 10 pesos - all of which went to the project. The event raised a total of 560 pesos which was great. The money is going to be used for building repairs in the orphanage - mending the walls and replacing the plumbing. These improvements are so badly needed in order to continue providing a safe and comfortable home for the children. It is rewarding to know that the money we raised is going to be used in such an important way - you almost feel guilty that we had so much fun raising it!
An Argentina program, Asignación Universal por hijo para protección social, has been enforced by ANSES, Administración Nacional de la Seguridad Social. ANSES is an organization dedicated to national social security such as grants and pensions, family allowances for people in business and family benefits to people in passive period, and unemployment benefits, which are financed by national employment funds.
An Argentina program, Asignación Universal por hijo para protección social, has been enforced by ANSES, Administración Nacional de la Seguridad Social. ANSES is an organization dedicated to national social security such as grants and pensions, family allowances for people in business and family benefits to people in passive period, and unemployment benefits, which are financed by national employment funds. This program is designed to increase the percentage of children enrolled in primary and secondary schooling in Argentina. It is geared towards motivating families to pursue education within Argentine society. With proof of a birth certificate, family identification, compliance with mandatory vaccination schedule, and recorded attendance at a public educational establishment, families receive an exchange of money for each child’s enrollment within the education system.
The program is proposed for the unemployed, the non-registered working families, and/or domestic workers who are receiving less than the minimum wage. Children must be under 18 years of age; they must be Argentine, Argentine-born, naturalized or resident, and a legal resident no less than three years preceding the application process. Once the proper paperwork has been completed, families of non-registered workers (receiving less than minimum wage) will receive $180 per month, per child. Unemployed families will receive $144 per month. This amount equals 80% of the final allowance received. Initially, 80% of the child’s allowance is given directly to the family with the remaining 20% deposited into an account under the owner’s name, which can only be removed once a year. The allowance limits out at five children. For disabled children, ANSES provides an amount of $720 for the direct deposit. Families of disabled children need to complete a PS 2.3 form including a medical testimony and Blackeye 2 Employer Report in addition to birth certificate, family ID, and attendance records, in order to fulfill the requirement of ANSES. In July of 2010, ANSES announced that family allowances for children increased 22.22%. Diego Bossio, the Executive Director of the National Social Security said, “the universal child allowance is not the product of chance, but a policy of inclusion.” Argentina has great hopes for this program, Asignación Universal por hijo para protección social. The program hopes to strengthen the state and provide tools to get closer to the needs of the people.
By Olivia Puddicombe and Tiffany Grabski.
Yesterday afternoon was an afternoon that we will never forget. Being fortunate enough to be living in Buenos Aires at such an important time for the country, we went down to Plaza de Mayo to spend the afternoon with the people of Argentina witnessing and sharing their grief at the death of a dearly beloved ex-president. Nestor Kirchner’s untimely death has been a sad shock and has affected millions of people. Yesterday however it became clear that the Argentines are not ones to dwell in sadness and grief. While there was an obvious sense of general upset, we were overwhelmed by the feeling of celebration, their joy for the life of a great man. The closest either of us had experienced was the death of Princess Diana. While both of our experiences of this event were very different, based on where we were, and how young we were, we remember it being a far sadder occasion. Yesterday instead of people crying in the streets we saw people dancing and singing. There were tears streaming down their faces, but the overall atmosphere was something much more positive. Their message was clear – it was aimed at Cristina, to tell her ‘you are not alone, we are here, you have our support, we mourn with you.’ It was one of the most powerful and moving afternoons of our lives.
From speaking to various people, we were surprised by their willingness to help us understand their culture and their interest in how our cultures differ so greatly. We were initially quite confused as to whether everyone was there to show support, as some seemed to be there in protest. However a gentleman named Lucas explained to us that the protests were not anti-Kirchner, but against the vice president, who has angered many people by being rather rude and abrupt since the ex-president's death, and failing to follow through with his promises to Argentina. Lucas told us that he was there to express his sadness and to be with the people of his country in such a difficult time. He had arrived the night before at midnight, and remained there to support his government, and show his love for his country. This cleared up a lot for us, giving us a new perspective to the protesting we often see against the government and a completely different view from those expressed from the middle and upper class families we both live with.
Elida, a teacher in La Boca further explained that the people in and around the plaza were feeling a lot of pain for Nestor and for their president. They were sad and worried about the future of their country. Nestor did many things for both his country and for Latin America, and this became clear by the amount of supporters that have turned up to pay their respects. Elida helped us understand the method by which they show their support. She explained that it was normal to unite, and be together in times of pain, and their way of expressing their support is through music, chants, and being together: Something I think countries like ours could learn a lot from. This wasn’t a funeral, or a wake, it was a celebration of all Nestor had accomplished, a thank you for his help and support within Argentina and throughout Latin America, and an offer of support for their country and their leader Cristina, who no doubt is having the hardest time of them all.
October is the month of the environment in Argentina and this week I attended a reunion on the environment and responsible tourism. The talk began with some mini speeches by various important people do with Argentina's environmental plans. The first to talk was the Minister for Education who highlighted the importance of the fact that there is not one simple solution to the environmental problems. The next to talk, and my personal favourite, was a Japanese representative who bravely spoke in Spanish (I would never have had the nerves to do that!).
The Argentinean government has brought over some Japanese experts to help them sort out their environmental problems. I could relate to much of what she said as we both come from countries where recycling is an advanced and established process. She said she was astonished that people do not recycle in their houses here - but that the government pays people to sort out the rubbish. She mentioned programs aimed at educating school children about the 3 R's - reducir, reciclar, reusar (reducing, recycling and reusing). The next to talk was a Province Minister who claimed that he represented the millions of worried Argentines. He highlighted the problems of pollution especially in the rivers due to all the rubbish. The final person to speak was the Minister for the Environment who spoke about ways of promoting awareness and protecting the animals and plants at risk.
The next stage of the talk involved the people that are trying to carry out all the big talk of the politicians. Four women representing various foundations and organizations that promote responsible tourism and sustainable development spoke about their plans and aims. The final person to speak was a Japanese man called Hisakazu Hirai. He gave a very long presentation on the history of waste disposal in Japan comparing it to that of Argentina. In broken English and a little Spanish he explained that the main problem for Argentina was overcoming the prejudices and discrimination that exist concerning rubbish and waste disposal. This he believes can be done through education. He finished with the powerful phrase ‘What is important for the environment is communication and collaboration’. I could not have put it better myself! What became clear to me after all the talks was how incredibly behind Argentina is compared to other developed countries and also the lack of knowledge concerning all things environmental. However what is important is the desires the Argentine’s have to learn and to improve.
Mario is the headmaster of a primary school where volunteers combine teaching English with creating links, cultural exchanges and experiences. Below is a story he told us called “Little revolutions”.
‘I would like to tell you about a small revolution that took place the day of Iain’s arrival. I was going down to the first floor and whilst I was on the stairs I heard shouts from the children that sounded more like football hooligans celebrating a goal. The songs were overlapping with each child singing a different one. I arrived at the ground floor and found children from the 4th to the 7th grade returning from their break time surrounding Iain, hailing him and demanding his attention. The volunteer (who never imagined he would be subject to such enthusiastic demands) was smiling despite not knowing what to do nor understanding why they were chanting his name or fighting to walk beside him. Rather an amazing experience for a Saxon in a country full of Latinos (especially as they are children). Mariela told me that when Iain introduced himself to one of the classes, the children got up and asked him for his autograph. Mariela thought that he did not understand what an autograph was and explained to him that they wanted his signature, as one would ask an artist, a sports star or someone you admire. Iain replied saying that he knew what an autograph was but as he was not famous he did not understand why they were asking him for his. The affectionate Scot became an idol in 15 minutes. The new enthusiasm and motivation that the appearance of Iain brought to the school may seem to be only a small change. However changes like this are very important because when you put them all together they become a revolution.'
The English could learn a lot from the people here. They will happily wait hours for their turn and then there is no fuss - top off, injection in, sign here and done.
This week marks my one month anniversary working at a Centro de Salud in Jose Leon Suarez and I can genuinely say that I have never learnt or experienced so much in a month before. Working at the salita has not been easy or at times even enjoyable, but it has been incredible. There are lots of salitas in Suarez, each is for a specific barrio and they offer all sorts of help.
There are doctors, a dentist, a midwife, a psychiatrist and more! Centro 15 is painted bright yellow and it looks like a ray of sunshine in the town. Fernando, the director, has put a lot of time and effort into making it look inviting and professional. Yet one of the main problems the salita faces is getting people to come. At first I did not understand how this could be an issue. Everything to do with health care is free in Argentina. All people have to do is turn up and they can have whatever they need. Yet when people have so little, health is not a concern. It is shocking to see the poverty here. It is a totally different kind of poverty to England. There are no awful council houses instead the people live in shanty town-esque houses, if you can even call them that. Many of the people who live here are immigrants who I assume came here in search of a better life. Sometimes I wonder if they have found one. There is a trend in Suarez for young girls to get pregnant as early as possible, at 13 or 14, because of the improved benefits available.
It has been a shock to see girls who are no more than children themselves come in either pregnant or already mothers. However what is almost more shocking is to see how much they adore their children and how well they look after them. There have been cases concerning abuse of children and women which have really upset me. I know that it happens in England but to see it first hand is entirely different and I have never felt more helpless in my life as doing anything about abuse here is hard because it involves money. As I have no medical training or knowledge I have spent my time mainly with the nurse, the paediatrician or in reception. Administering the injections with the nurse has been very interesting. The English could learn a lot from the people here. They will happily wait hours for their turn and then there is no fuss - top off, injection in, sign here and done.
The children behave amazingly well and their patience is admirable. I love working with the paediatrician, he does the control of the children - height, weight and head circumference. There seems to be a lot more that can go wrong with children here so the control is very important to spot any problems early. Working in the reception has been fascinating. I think that is where they need the help. They only have one computer in the whole centre unlike in England where you have a computer in every room! All the paperwork is done by hand not online – that was my job to get people’s names, addresses, national security numbers etc – easier said than done as a lot of people here cannot read so do not know where they live. The people I work with are all fantastic and everyday feels like you're helping - even if it’s only finding someone’s medical history file (easier said than done!) or helping with the injections, it’s all important.
I was delighted when i found out that a change of plans meant i would be able to attend and assist at my first Voluntario Global fundraiser. At the start, after a lovely day at San Telmo market I met with Paul and Kathryn the organisers of ´Music Is My Sanctuary´ and then went with Olivia, a fellow volunteer, to hand out some flyers. After a little while we took up our post on the door for the duration of the event.
During the evening we were repeatedly thanked for helping out which was funny because to us we were there enjoying food, cocktails and every now and again drawing smiley faces on hands in exchange for donations from happy punters. Not to mention that the whole time we were able to listen to some incredible local bands. Certainly i have never had a more enjoyable job!
The music of the night was an eclectic mix of reggae/rap/latin/balkan/salsa/funk/soul/pop/rock... really everything you could imagine! Many of the musicians played with more than one band which gave the lineup a very cohesive feel despite the different genres of music. I was particularly amazed by one artist whose rapping blew me away. Though i didnt think it would all be my kind of music i found myself pleasantly surprised and the entire crowd seemed to get into the rhythm and echo the energy coming from the stage.
During the evening the venue became completely full and we made over AR$1000 on the door for the childrens home. When the night appeared to be rounding up and people began to leave i was informed that the last and best act was yet to perform though electrical problems were holding them up. With more than two thirds of the audience having disappeared into the night, the headliners finally hit the stage. Made up of eight guys from various corners of the world, Mala Macumba created a sound like nothing i have heard before. I was on my feet dancing and clapping before i could stop myself. The band didn´t seem to care about the depleted audience and i have to admit that i felt almost pleased about it because now the gig had become something intimate that allowed the audience to feed off the happy, buzzing vibes given out by the musicians and singers. I left the Voluntario Global fundraiser that night without a doubt that it had been my best night out in Buenos Aires so far. Particularly because it was the sort of night that i could never have back in England. I only wish i could be here for the next one!
The first thing that struck me when I walked into the house located in the middle-class neighborhood of Beccar was that I felt like I was walking into someone’s living room. It did not feel anything like an orphanage and so it made sense to me that I was informed not to call it one, especially in front of the children.
Admittedly it is a big house, with 15 children living there at any one time; however it seems to me much closer to a foster home rather than an orphanage. The only difference being that instead of parents there are staff and volunteers. I was impressed by the number of people working there and how relaxed the environment was. The first child I met was a little girl who came up to me and asked for ‘un beso’ (a kiss) and was going round the room having different people kiss her and pick her up. I certainly didn’t feel like the children were under stimulated or lacking in attention. This of course would not be the case without the volunteers from Voluntario Global.
I must admit that I find it a little strange that a number of the ´orphans´ are not technically orphans. An orphan is a person who has lost both parents in some way. At this home however, some children receive visits from their parents at the weekends and may on occasion go to stay with their parents for a short period of time. Thus in some cases it is simply that some parents are unable to take care of their children and so the home acts in the same way that we would expect social services to. Also some children who have parents in rehab for example can expect to be returned to their parent(s) at the end of the designated period of time. All of the children come from different circumstances and it is therefore impossible to treat each child the same or expect them to behave the way a child from a stable and supportive background would behave.
We took four of the girls to the local playground where they took it in turns playing on the swings and pushing one another. For an outsider it would be impossible to see that there was anything ´different´ about these girls, they looked full of energy with smiles all round. It makes me happy knowing that such places exist which can save children from an otherwise very unpleasant upbringing and that there are people willing to give their time for nothing to ensure such children never need suffer again.
My name is Jessie and I am currently working on the communications team for Voluntario Global. A big perk of my position is that i get to visit all of the current projects. On Tuesday 24th August I accompanied Kristin and two new Voluntario Global volunteers to their Project in Pablo Nogues which is an English school for children and young adults. The classes are held before or after their normal school or work. Here is what I thought of it...
It was already clear from the train journey up that we were entering a 'different world'. I think this was the first time that I have seen what I would describe as a poor area within Argentina. When we finally arrived at Pablo Nogues station, I was struck by how peaceful the area felt compared to the inner city. The sun was shining, birds were signing, it all felt rather lovely. After the short walk to the gate of the English school I found myself being warmly greeted by Silvia the owner of the school and coordinator of the activities held there. A woman with a big beaming smile who makes you feel important and like everything you say is worth her full attention, I could not imagine a better person for the job.
During the afternoon, Silvia greeted each child with “hola mi amor” and a kiss. This place could not possibly be further from an English equivalent, something I am extremely glad about.
Each child arrived at Pablo Nogues at different times depending on their individual circumstances and proceeded to sit down and join in the volunteer led exercise in progress without any need for coercion. The two new volunteers fitted in right away and I got the impression that the children were enjoying the sounds of the Irish and Mancunian accents which are of course something they are unlikely to hear in any other capacity at any other time.
I was impressed with how well structured the classes were and yet how relaxed the atmosphere felt in the classroom. It is clear to me that not only are the children increasing their knowledge of the English language but they are also learning about the different accents and cultures associated with the various English speaking volunteers who come to Pablo Nogues. In the poorer districts of Buenos Aires the need for variety is much greater; this is why international volunteers from Voluntario Global are so valuable to this project.
VOLUNTARIO GLOBAL
Voluntario Global helps local communities by being available to discuss anything that local organizations need, and offering ideas for further change and development.
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CONTACT
Location: General Pacheco. Buenos Aires. Argentina
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