Camco (The Children and Community Action Center)

The Children and Community Action Center works directly with street kids in Santa Fe, Argentina. It was founded in 1992 as a drop-in center, inspired by the Convention on the Rights of the Child. Today it works in two sites: one for vocational training (downtown) and another in a poor favela.

Camco uses theater, art, vocational training, and therapy to improve street kids’ self esteem. “We’re not going to get all these kids off the street. That demands macro-economic changes. But we can help,” Camco’s director told me. The program also works to get kids back into school, if they are willing.

For Camco, the game is the operative metaphor. Life is a game, they teach, with several rules that one must obey if one is to take advange of what life has to offer. Knowing the rules, a kid can see where he stands, and can criticize the system.

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The organization was kind enough to send us an update in April, 2008:

CAMCO (ARGENTINA)

Centro de Acción de Movimientos Comunitarios
Pers. Jurd Res. N' 310/06
Sede Administrativa: Hipólito Irigoyen 2826 - CP 3.000 - Santa Fe Capital.
Ttel 0342-4541656 - www.camco.org.ar
e-mail: camcoong@yahoo.com.ar ; prensacamcoong@yahoo.com.ar
Sala Cultural: Pedro Vittori 4.300 - tel. 0342-4559830 - e-mail: salacultural@camcoong.org
Centro Productivo: J.J. Paso 3478 - tel 0342- 4599227 e-mail: pan_social@yahoo.com.ar
Centro Deportivo: Entre Ríos y San Gerónimo
Duendes Callejeros: J. J. Paso 3478
Sedes Barriales: San Agustín II, Villa Hipódromo, Cabal, Las Lomas, San José, Centenario, Varadero Sarsotti, Alto Verde, La Lona.