PROJECT

Project's objective:

The objective of the Hands On Argentina project is to increase the opportunities of access to early childhood quality education, thus contributing to future school success, school completion and full social insertion.

Real Impact:

Help more than 800 children in poor communities in the Northern province of Misiones in Argentina.

The problem to be addressed by the project

In spite of obligatory preschool attendance in Argentina since age 5, as set forth by Educational Federal Act (1993), the offer of preschool services is not enough to guarantee access to all children that age. The situation of children between 3 and 4 is even worse. Attendance in this range of ages is not obligatory and consequently only 15% of children age 3 and 44% of children age 4 are presently attending.

Studies confirm that children who do not attend preschool have greater chances of repeating grades and dropping out of school early in life. Likewise, it is worth considering that an ample percentage of these children spent their first years of existence at homes with no contact with writing materials, with adults who do not read nor write and who do not encourage them to develop language or mathematical skills. All the above accounts for the great inequality of educational opportunities affecting a big percentage of children with no access to Preschool, as compared to those who do attend.

What the project will achieve

The project we are funding seeks to address this problem at Villa Blanca de Delicia Centro and Barrio Pueblo Nuevo, both communities located at Puerto Mado, Misiones province. The project is directed to two precarious huts, which presently attract children due to a milk service program, and is conceived to turn these huts into Community Centers prepared to promote literacy and provide educational assistance, therefore compensating the impossibility of attending preschool.

Fundación Leer has planned this project to be implemented in two years:

• Year 1: The work will be focused on the creation of literacy encouraging environments and the training of local leaders to work with the children and adults of the two communities.
• Year 2: Getting Ready to School program will be implemented at both locations. Both centers will acquire the necessary capabilities to render early childhood literacy services to children 0 to 5 years of age, thus preparing them for transition to primary school.

Direct Beneficiaries

120 children ages 0 to 5 + 700 children above 5 + 280 families and the adults who will be trained as literacy promotion agents.

Indirect Beneficiaries

Eldorado Teachers School students who will work as project volunteers.