THANKS FOR THIS YEAR 2008!

(Click on image for larger view)

Ojo de Pez

(click to view larger image)

Ojo de Pez - Exhibition in the Senate

Images taken by students in workshops of digital photography 2007-2008
Ojo de Pez at Conviven, School of Education Media 2 to 20 in the
Institute Manuel Belgrano.

Audiovisual Arts Workshops:
It is a collective that makes audio-visual arts workshops as a tool of
socialization and aims to create a space for artistic education, with
community protection, a place to explore, confront, and individually
and collectively generate artistic expression in young people deprived
of their liberty or expelled socially.

Conducted and supported by:

www.ojodepez.org.ar

Tarde de cine en Conviven

El sábado sabado 15 de noviembre de las 15h hasta las 18h30 se llevó a cabo la tarde de cine en el Centro Conviven. Contó con la participación de aproximadamente 30 personas: madres, adolecentes y sobre todo chicos y niños.

Primero se mostró "Indiana Jones y la Calavera de Cristal", uno de los últimos estrenos del cine. Según los voluntarios a cargo también iba a marcar el el fin de la proyección. Pero por el entusiasmo de los niños lo reconsideraron. Con el permiso de los padres y trás una votación unívoca entre los chicos se proyectó la película de los "Simpson" no proyectada en primer lugar por no ser reciente y ya famosísima.

Al final todos se fueron felices (pero cansados) a sus casas y se llevaron los recuerdos de una linda Tarde de cine en Conviven.

Invitation to a Conviven event at "Casa Natura" on nov. 29th
For larger view click on the image!

Teaching English, Adrianna G. 2009

After arriving in Buenos Aires, with nothing but a few friends and a 3-month lease, I began a search for places to volunteer and came across Conviven. Though the one hour bus ride can be a bit tiring, the "trek" is awarded with a bustling center full of heart and energy.

I began my volunteer experience by accompanying the center on their summer trips to pools and parks. Not only did I meet other volunteers from numerous international countries, but I also met children ranging in ages from 4-15 years. Their interests in my background sparked conversations about music and impromptu English lessons, as well as the opportunity for me to learn about them and their lives. I remember fondly a young girl from Peru who had also recently moved to Buenos Aires. We shared our stories and feelings of moving to a different city.

With the start of the school year, I have been teaching English classes for the past few months, to the youngest class of students, ranging in age from 5 to 11 years old. With other volunteers helping out in the classroom, we have begun to teach these young and absorbent minds about fruits, animals, hobbies, transportation, and art. With almost no teaching experience, I have helped to feed their interests to learn English and witnessed young minds soar!

Adrianna Gluck [ New York]

Transforming the Conviven Center......

So the work on the kitchen at Conviven has finally begun. The builders have moved in and started the task of renovating a much worn down kitchen. It has begun with enthusiasm from all quarters: Carmen, the "housekeeper/cook/guardian of children and building” is over the moon about a new kitchen from which to work from, the volunteers can see the new beginnings of an essential part of the Conviven center and the children look on with bemusement at the dust and banging. Walls have been knocked down, and a start has been made on redoing the plumbing system.

The grand plan is for a new sink, for ceramics to be placed around the kitchen and sink which will make cleaning and hygiene far easier to deal with. There will be new work surfaces and cupboards. A ventilator is going to be installed and the very antiquated gas pipes are going to be dealt with by a gas specialist. There will be new lights and plugs also put in.

To help the cause of the kitchen we wore white and sported great hats last week at a fundraiser party at Bella´s house. It was a great success and 1700 pesos were raised. However starting to renovate a kitchen is no mean feat and it is clear that a kitchen is made of two parts. The actual room, and the objects that make it up. There is a pressing need for a new oven as the present one is far too old. So if anyone could donate towards that or even has an oven to give we would be very grateful. Equally Carmen has pointed out that there is a need for a door with a lock to the kitchen so that children don’t wander in and get hurt.

The kitchen at Conviven lies at the heart of the center, and so any help would massively improve the children’s experience whilst they are here, and of course aid Carmen’s task in looking after them all. The volunteers are awaiting the day when they can get stuck into pots of paint and decorate it. For the moment however, this big project has finally begun.

By Miranda Lerner, Volunteer.

Summer Holidays

I wanted to pre warn new volunteers in plenty of time that the big summer holidays start here around the 16th of December and last till the beginning of March. Most children in Buenos Aires will leave the city for some of this time to avoid the heat and get some fresh air. Even the kids from the villas who come to Conviven for english classes will get a chance to go to summer camps which are organized by the state. They tend to go away to camp in January so this is why there will be no volunteering opportunities avaliable in this month. If you are planning a trip here and wish to volunteer please keep this in mind.