WHAT WE DO AND WHY WE DO IT

In Argentina 40% of the young population hasn't finished Secondary Education, and 24% of youngsters between the age of 18 and 24 neither work nor study.
This has a huge impact on society and compromises the future of the country.

Firstly, these are elements that fuel the vicious circle of poverty. The majority of these young adults belongs to the lowest layers of the social strata and hasn't completed their Secondary Education, so they have little chances of finding a decent, well-remunerated job which enables them to escape poverty conditions in the future. In addition, these are youngsters who generally lack a life project and the support of their families and environment for their personal development.

These characteristics, plus the uprooting they suffer from both professional and educational spheres make them prone to fall into crime, violence and drug use.

Germinare has already been developing programmes against this prevailing current for over 12 years. We have observed how these youngsters trigger change, not only modifying their own lives but also those of their families, their new social circles and their original communities. We have verified that when circumstances change; people change too, granting them more opportunities.

Today Germinare has a direct impact on more than 5000 people (children, youngsters and adults), according to results from an Impact Evaluation carried on by the Torcuato Di Tella University.

We have furthermore seen how long-term work on intensive education, focused on the needs of each young adult in particular allows a real change in their lives.

When children entered the "Agents de Cambio" (Agents for Change) programme at the age of 10, their expectations were finishing Primary School or in the best of cases maybe attending a few years of Secondary Education.

Today, thanks to their effort and responsibility they have finally graduated from school at a good academic institution, started their University studies and plan their future with freedom. Along the 7 years of the "Agents forChange" programme we also provide parents with the tools that will allow them to become active parts of the change, generating progress for the whole family. The children and their families have acknowledged these opportunities and set them into action across their sphere of influence.

What is our aim today? Getting to do more. After 12 years of work we have seen concrete results out of the programme. The moment has come to reach more children -In order to achieve it, we need to get more people involved and more companies to go through this process with us.