More on Community Needs

One of the most developed countries in the world at the opening of the twentieth century, Argentina encountered major hurdles in its efforts to keep pace with the international economy [1]. The financial crisis of 2001-2002 greatly exacerbated political and economic obstacles, and official unemployment levels soared to nearly 20 percent [2]. Though unemployment has fallen in the country of 39.9 million, 31.4 percent of the population still lives below the poverty line [3]. Located within greater La Plata, the provincial capital of Buenos Aires, Villa Elisa and its population of 20,000 exemplify the dichotomies of Argentine society and the challenges that the country faces [4]. Wealthy, gated communities exist alongside great poverty [5]. Walking from the main road into Villa Elisa, one passes blocks of beautiful homes before crossing a grassy field and entering a neighborhood with trash-lined streets, makeshift homes, roaming dogs picking at the garbage, and shoeless children wandering around without supervision.

A government assistance program, Plan Familias, reduces the severity of poverty by financially supporting families with children [6]. Yet payouts of $4.17 to $6.67 per day ($1.34 to $2.15 USD) barely guarantee survival. Available jobs usually involve cleaning homes, for $4 to $9 pesos per hour ($1.28 to $2.90 USD) [7]. Though the government has stated its desire to reintegrate the poor into the working class, the families of Villa Elisa constantly confront challenges in their efforts to become politically and economically active citizens. Chronic underemployment and prevalent unemployment make it difficult for families to envision a better future, as they do not have the opportunities to gain skills needed to pull themselves out of poverty. Moreover, this focus on day-to-day survival precludes the formation of a cohesive and vibrant community.

[1] UN Human Development Report 2006 ranks Argentina 36 of 177. hdr.undp.org/hdr2006/statistics/ (5 March 2007). [2] Commanding Heights: Argentina Unemployment. www.pbs.org/wgbh/commandingheights/lo/countries/ar (5 March 2007) [3] The CIA World Factbook. https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/index.html (5 March 2007). [4] This figure was obtained through discussions with community members, as official information is difficult to find. [5] Argentina performs better than its Latin American counterparts on some indicators, but its high Gini Index of 52.8 demonstrates that it too must focus on equitable economic growth. UN Human Development Report 2006. [6] In 2002, the Argentine government introduced Jefe del hogar as an emergency measure to combat the effects of the economic crisis. This was replaced by Plan Familias in 2006, with financing from the Inter-American Development Bank and a $350 (USD) World Bank Loan. See Project AR-L1006 Support for Plan Familias, www.iadb.org; www.worldbank.org (5 March 2007). [7] Figures for the payouts from Plan Familias and the average local wages were obtained through interviews with sewing cooperative members, mothers who help cook, and staff of Arco Iris. (February 2007).