ARGENTINA

Argentina has greatly increased primary school attendance over the last several decades, but still faces significant educational challenges. If it hopes to sustain its economic competitiveness in the long term, Argentina must address hurdles, including:

  • Poor educational quality: The country ranks 105th out of 134 countries in educational system quality (World Economic Forum).
  • High drop-out rates: In the most recent survey for Argentina, only 42% of adults between the ages of 25 and 64 had graduated from secondary school, compared to 87% of adults in the U.S. (OECD).
  • Science: 56% of Argentinean 15-year-olds tested scored below a critical level of science literacy on the 2006 PISA exam, compared to 24% of students tested in the U.S. (OECD).

 

Mano Amiga Santa Maria

Location: Pilar, Buenos Aires Province

Opened: 2003

Number of Students: 305

  • Mano Amiga Santa Maria opened its doors in 2003 to 37 students in the aftermath of Argentina's economic crisis.
  • Today, the school provides preschool through fifth grade education to 305 students from the Carabasa, Rio Lujan, Fatima and Manzanares neighborhoods in Pilar. 
  • In addition to traditional subjects, Mano Amiga Santa Maria students learn English and computer skills and receive personalized attention from the school's dedicated director and staff.
  • In May 2008, the school inaugurated a new grade school building that is accommodating many of the students who were studying in temporary rooms due to the school's rapid growth.
  • Worldfund most recently granted $16,000 to Mano Amiga Santa Maria for student scholarships. 

 

ARTICLES RELATED TO MANO AMIGA SANTA MARIA

Romero Britto Visits Mano Amiga Argentina
By Pablo Zitto Soria, Mano Amiga Argentina Foundation

Rich and Poor Join Hands - Mano Amiga Argentina
By Irin Carmon, Buenos Aires Herald (in English)

Pilar: educación de alto nivel pensada para chicos pobres
By Mariana Iglesias, Clarín

Mano Amiga (Helping Hand) schools were first founded by a Catholic priest in Mexico City in 1963 in response to the grave financial, educational and social problems of impoverished neighborhoods throughout Latin America. Today, there are 31 schools in the Mano Amiga network, serving more than 19,000 students living in underprivileged communities in Latin America.