Lessons learned from the Argentine experience

In spite of the famous "European character" of Argentina, the situation for street children is not very different from other countries and hence, its experience in this field can teach much to programs implemented elsewhere. The intelligentsia and the Argentines’ political commitment have generated interesting responses to children’s problems and so, important lessons.

1. Preventive work is efficient. When the Mendoza city council realized that its trial effort of usingshelters and outreach teams had failed, it focused its resources in community programs: football teams, food programs and family training, community art and music workshops, and strengthening the social network. After a year, the number of children in the streets fell by an 80%.
   
   Other experiences, Acción Educativa in Santa Fe and FOC in Buenos Aires, teach a similar lesson, although less general. Linking children to their communities, their families and their schools, prevents them from looking to satisfy their psychological needs in the streets. Besides, the idea of providing economic resources to families diminishes the need for children’s income.
   
   
2. Self-sustainability is possible. Many NGOs dream of becoming independent from government and international foundations funding, but they do not know how to do it or whether it is a feasible dream.
   
   A NGO from Cordoba, La Luciérnaga, survives on its own resources, originating from monthly sales of 50,000 copies of its magazine. This income supports 400 young writers and empresarios, 4 professionals, dozens of volunteers and a school of study support and vocational training.
   
   
3. Psychology is a double-edged sword. Argentina is famous for the number of psychologists and psychoanalysts, many of them with populist or leftist leanings. This intellectual tradition, particularly influenced by Klein, Lacan and Foucault (as anti-psychoanalyst), has fomented creativity in many important NGOs.
   
   However, some people think all this results in an esoteric and very academic approach, not very useful to work with poor children, who cannot understand the complex ontology on which psychoanalysis is based.
   
   
4. Popular culture as a tool is not that simple. When foreigners think of Argentina, they mention tango, Carlos Gardel, and milongas. So one could imagine that tango would be an element to recover poor children's self-esteem and values, but it is not so. Tango, as melancholy and lonely dance, cannot be used to build a young people’s community.
   
   On the other hand, murga can be used. This tradition, similar to Brazilian samba and little known abroad, can bring communities together, foster personal changes and rescue popular values. In conclusion, when working with street children, popular culture is a means and not and end, and some means are better than others.