Progress at Crecer con Amor, Second Addition Almost Done

As you have seen in previous blog entries, Crecer con Amor is having a busy 2008. Two volunteers, Charlotte Demole and Briar Loewen, organized events and raised donations that contributed to the construction of a new classroom at Crecer for the 4 and 5 year olds (blog entries in February and March 2008).

As mentioned as well earlier, a former volunteer, Tammy Chen, enlisted her uncle, Amine Darrous, from New York; in a campaign to build a second floor addition to Crecer con Amor. As you can see, the project is progressing rapidly. The space will allow for three new classrooms to be created for the 6-12 year old students of the center. This is great news because it allows for increased privacy for each age-group to work (before they shared an open space) as well as the former classrooms located downstairs at the center will be converted into a new space for cultural activities, workshops, and even training programs.

The director, Jacqueline Marquez, was all smiles when I visited last week, as I often do. She is excited about the changes, working hard to keep things moving (inflation and labor is sometimes inhibiting), and imagining what it will be like with more space to work with the surrounding community.

As I often reiterate, the small efforts by former volunteers as Social Ambassadors and other friends of these Argentine organizations, goes a long way toward empowering communities to respond to their citizens and young people. Though just a small building project, the completion of this new addition to Crecer con Amor will help the organization receive an increasing amount of young students while continuing to build and support their individual development. They are the future of Argentina, as Jacqueline would say.