Jasper Wegman is a Dutch consultant trainer who saw the opportunity to put his three passions – travelling, volunteering, and working with people – to good use here in Argentina. He has set up two projects since 2006: Che Amigo, a foundation dedicated to education in poorer parts of the north or Argentina, helping source resources for teaching underprivileged Argentine children; and Seminarios en Un Día, which works with leadership in companies. Wegman is now permanently based in Buenos Aires.

When did you get to Buenos Aires and why?

In Holland I studied economics and for two years I worked as a consultant trainer in personal development, teaching things such as leadership. I always liked to travel: I worked in Holland, but sometimes in Moscow as well, and the Red Cross in Africa. But in the end I never wanted to go back – I like travelling, meeting people and seeing lots of cultures… so in 2004 I quit my job at the time and travelled around South America for a year to learn some Spanish to do some voluntary work

The plan was to stay for one year, take a trip around the world and stay for about eights months in South America. I wanted to learn more about poverty, to see things and to help. In Holland for the last ten years I always did voluntary work because I like to contribute to society. I wanted to do something, so I thought, while I’m not working this is the time for me to explore what’s going on. I went to Peru and Bolivia and did some voluntary work and then I came to Buenos Aires. The thing with Buenos Aires is that it’s easier for me to stay longer, to work a little bit and even to teach some English. I was thinking about teaching some economics at a bilingual school so I thought ‘ok, I’ll stay here for a couple of months’.

What next?

Well after a while I started to run out of money and I had been away from home for a year and a half – so I went back to Holland to start to work again. But I’d got to know Argentina and the situation a little bit so I thought let’s start with a more concrete idea; lets start to do fundraising in Holland for a school in Jujuy or in Salta. It’s easier to start a foundation in Holland. With some friends I organised parties and ‘fiestas de Argentina’ and auctions, a raffle… a lot of things. At the end of 2005 I wrote a business plan.

So then you moved here?

Yeah that was the idea. So I was like: ok, this is what I like to do – the Che Amigo project – but then there was always the question of how I was going to finance it. I spent a whole year in Holland talking with a lot of people about it, I came here to do some research to think about it. And then about two years ago I was in Africa doing some voluntary work for the Red Cross teaching young people about leadership and I thought that since this is what I do in Holland and it’s what I like to do – working on personal growth – and I have this connection with Argentina, and Che Amigo is doing fine, why not just start something, like that here in Argentina? It would be for young people to get to know about taking initiative, taking responsibility, starting up projects yourself. I think it’s a good way to fight against poverty and to give other people a chance as well.

I said ok I want to start something like I do in Holland, to put on seminars for companies here about leadership and sustainability and things like this, which is what I also like to do. It makes a bit of money and then a cut of what they pay for a ticket goes to Che Amigo. At the moment we are also saving money for training courses, training young people in leadership so that then they can start helping in their own community.

The last four years I came here for about one or two months a year. At that point I was looking for local partners and NGOs. I talked with a lot of people about the project and where can we contribute.

At first everything was done on a voluntary basis so I had my job in Holland as a freelance trainer whilst at the same time organizing a lot of fundraising events there for my social projects in Argentina. When we started the school in Salta and I started to come here once or twice in a year.

What is your role in the process? Do you teach?

No, we trained young Bolivians. A friend of mine, Christine, spent the last four years training these Bolivians to be the trainers at Che Amigo, so they teach the young people. I believe in not being ‘the white guy who does it better’ – they are young, they come from vulnerable backgrounds as well and they are examples to the young people. She worked with this group aged between 23 and 30. They’ll next be back in January, which is when we start the leadership course. They’ll be setting up their own social project and in January and February we do the next step of our training.

Is it voluntary for them?

They got given a small payment at first but I was really impressed with them so from now they will get paid because they are doing a really great job.

How do you work?

I work at home for myself, organizing fundraising and making contacts in Holland, and for the schools we involve them and integrate them and do fundraising with children in Holland for example. What I’m doing here is trying to find some good partners and I have some good partners a lot of our project is a school in Salta it’s quite famous they won a prize here as well it’s a big secondary school with alberga and everything, and I’ve just been there to organize a training course for young Bolivians

Tell me about Seminarios En Un Dia

I have now finished the program and the webpage for Seminarios En Un Dia, and we’re launching it on the 23rd August. After that I’m going to crack down on marketing – speaking to people, visiting companies, giving one-hour presentations…things like this. I talk to them about being aware of sustainability, how you can contribute, what you can change. I think in Argentina at the moment there are real problems with leadership so it’s nice to talk to people about it. With the seminars I just want to make people aware – for me the social part of business is really important. To make people think of other ways to do things, to keep young people and use their talents. I don’t like, say, hiring someone for six months to do a job and then it’s done. I like to talk about things, confront people, and then they go away and really think about it. That’s the idea with the seminars – working on the social aspects. I mean, something like Che Amigo is my passion.

Do you teach the seminars in English or Spanish?

Spanish. I start in Spanish when I can and for the rest I use a translator. Some parts are ok but when it gets more difficult she helps me.

How have you found training and consultancy in Argentina in contrast with Holland?

It’s difficult but I think there is a worldwide problem with leadership. I think today we need to work on leadership in other ways: now it’s more about motivation and sustainability. In Holland we’re at a different point. Yes there are a lot of problems as well – you have the economic crisis that started in Europe and in the States, but here they have other problems. So it’s not that one is better or worse than the other.

Is it interesting for you to work in the two different climates?

Yes, of course. I think from my experience of working in a different climate, like in Holland, companies here can learn something from that. And obviously it’s interesting for me to learn how they work. I’m from a different culture: my whole identity is results-driven and efficient, and here it’s not so. For example, I worked with this small company here to build my website, and in the six months that I worked with them I got three account managers as each quit their job – one girl went to New Zealand to travel, and the other girl really liked it but it was too far from home. I mean, people told me Argentina’s different but they have the same problems as in Holland – so many young people are leaving companies because they want something different. The challenge here for companies is how to keep these people – perhaps to work in another way, more flexible for people to work at home. In Holland this is really popular at the moment – talking about the ‘new way of working’: flexible, social media etc. In Argentina this is not so popular yet. With Che Amigo it’s more to give young people possibilities. That’s a problem here as well which you have less in Holland – here you get so many great young people that won’t even get a chance to use their talents. I spoke with young people in the north – really nice 15- and 16-year-olds – they had to fight just to go to school. For me, school and university aren’t so hard to go to, but they had to fight to travel, to work, to negotiate with their parents to get money. It’s sad and terrible. Everyone at least deserves the chance to get education so they can make decisions for their own life. A lot of people here are excluded from the system. Of course, I’m not going to change it but to contribute a little means a lot. It’s the passion I have and it gives me much more pleaser than working in Holland in a bank or something.

What’s the future for Che Amigo and Seminarious En Un Dia?

The future? You see, the thing is for the first four years or five years it was like a hobby, which was really nice, but now it has expanded so much that it’s full time, yet still completely voluntary and unpaid. It means I go months and months with no income. Of course with Seminarios En Un Dia I get a little bit of money but it all comes in at one point in a year and then when that eventually runs out it’s like ‘ok, where do we go from here?’ But I think we’re doing fine working this way – you get a lot of new contacts and ideas. I’m looking for ways that will allow me to work like this for my whole life. It’s no longer possible for me to go back to Holland to a bank, for example, and do training over there. I did that for a couple of years but now, no. So I’m looking for ideas as to how we can grow, what are the possibilities? For myself I make 18-month to two-year plans.

Do you want to take it anywhere else? Anywhere else in South America?

I think Argentina is big enough to work with, and there’s a lot of work to do. I think it’s good to focus on certain places because then you have more impact. At the moment I have a project in Buenos Aires in the villas, and a big project in Salta – all these young people came to train and they are now going to start their own project so we’re going to continue this training to help them. So in Buenos Aires, Millones and Salta we now have new projects being set up and it’s a lot of work for the next year or two years. Then I’ll reassess what’s going on. Of course I’d like to do more but I think we’ll start with this. I would also like to work more with the Bolivians that Christine trained a while ago, that are now our trainers. So whenever they come to Argentina we do some training together.

Whether your heart lies in philanthropy or the rush of a spontaneous adventure, volunteering in Buenos Aires will open your eyes to a first-hand and unique view of the porteño city. We’ve assembled a budget-friendly who’s who of the Buenos Aires volunteer world.

1. Un Techo Para Mi País

This Latin American non-profit organization is committed to improving the quality of live in impoverished and slum areas through the construction of transitional houses, educational programs, and the development of a sustainable community.

Through the help of their youth volunteers, both local and participants from abroad — Un Techo Para Mi País (UTPMP) has constructed over 70,000 transitional homes in 18 countries around the world.

Participants of UTPMP immerse themselves in not only aid in the construction of houses as part of a team, but go on to teach developmental programs such as education, healthcare, economic development, to legal aid and vocational training. The tools that the residents acquire through these special programs go on to provide them with the tools they need to raise their quality of life.

The valuable education administered to the residents by volunteers of UTPMP, contributes to the cultivation of a sustainable community, where social networks are formed between neighbors and other links to brainstorm with the community to solve problems, create solutions and help achieve area goals.

For US$200 (which covers, bus transportation of participants, some meals and, a percentage of it goes to constructing the houses) participants of UTPMP are able to experience first-hand a new community, a new language, meet and make friends of fellow volunteers and community members, all while changing the world for somebody else. You might need to buy your own airplane ticket, but an adventure awaits you when you land.

For more information on UTPMP, a full list of countries, current programs, FAQ’s and how to participate go to http://www.untechoparamipais.org/english/

2. Conviven

If you aren’t so handy with construction work, but lending a helping hand is still up your alley, Conviven is a non-profit, non-governmental, social organization that aids in the development of children, teenagers, adolescents and families who reside on one of the well known shantytowns, “Ciudad Oculta”, in the Capital Federal area.

Conviven’s Family Community Center was founded in 1994 by its current director, Protestant Church missionary, Vlamir S. Vieira, and provides a center for families to seek guidance and the youth of the community to play, learn and be nourished with food and care. Since it’s creation, Conviven has been looking for motivated people, serious about volunteering and providing a mentor, a teacher and a friend to those in the community.

Volunteers of Conviven give testimonial to the program’s work, assisting children and youths with academic support with reading, writing and math, languages like French and English, basic cooking classes as well as artistic outlets like music, dance and art lessons and education.

Alongside the constructive education and care provided for those who come to the Conviven center, there are many activities the children and families can participate in such as circus schools, theater and textile arts workshops, even photography.

Knowing Spanish to volunteer for Conviven is not necessary, but it is definitely a plus. Volunteering there has opened many a travelers’ eyes to the harsher realities of Buenos Aires outside of the glamorous neighborhoods and bustling cosmopolitan streets.

Conviven’s website http://www.conviven.org.ar and blog http://centroconviven.blogspot.com/ come in a couple different languages, give detailed information their objective, details about projects and programs, as well as all the contact information you need to get started.

3. Asociación El Trapito

Not unlike Conviven, Asociación accepts volunteers from all backgrounds to assist their volunteer program situated in La Boca, Buenos Aires. Founded in 1935 by a group of Italian immigrants. It was originally a social club where they would organize activities and social events for the community.

In 2000, El Trapito was refounded by the descendents of its original founders, with the objective of working to better the quality of life for the residents of La Boca. They offer various work programs, one of the most important being the Protection of Children and Adolescents, providing social, legal and psychological help to children and adolescents living in the La Boca neighborhood. Since the program’s creation it has assisted over 10,000 at risk children and youth.

El Trapito asks that their volunteer’s Spanish be, at a minimum, an intermediate comprehension level, as the work they will get to do is directly related. They will be able to participate in interviews and meetings with children and adolescents, with the team of El Trapito, dealing with cases, preparing reports and participating in workshops.

Volunteers from around the world, currently Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States and Holland all work for El Trapito. Volunteering for the program is free, however, living arrangements and other accommodations are the responsibility of the volunteer. Although there is a one-month service minimum requirement, after that, participants are able to volunteer for as long as they choose.

To get more information, history, service details and how to get involved with Asociación El Trapito, visit their website www.eltrapito.org.ar.

4. Buenos Aires English House

If teaching English is specifically what you are looking for, and your are also watching your budget, Buenos Aires English House (BAEH) is a volunteer organization specifically designed for helping children and adults of all backgrounds to learn, converse and hone their English language skills.

The English House only accepts native English speakers as volunteers as their primary mission in Buenos Aires is to teach English to students ranging from the age of five-years old to adults. They may participate for as long as they wish, assisting in drama, literature, workshops, and a variety of other programs.

These volunteers do not need to know Spanish in order to participate, in fact, Spanish immersion programs are offered to all volunteers who want to improve their language skills as well. They are able to participate in social activities with Argentines, excursions, conversation exchanges, tango lessons and much more.

By participating in BAEH, volunteers are able to get to know the city through a different point of view, make new friends and do all of this for free. Housing can be recommended, but is not provided.

The website, http://baenglishhouse.com.ar/eng/teach-english.html, is where one can register, learn more about the program, and read testimonials.

5. Voluntarios Sin Fronteras

This completely free, non-profit volunteer organization was started in 2004 to host Brazilian volunteers who visited Argentina and volunteered in the cit of Buenos Aires. Striving to better the quality of life everywhere, Voluntarios Sin Fronteras (VSF) has grown and continued their mission to improve lives, reach out to problems and devise solutions beyond the borders of home.

Projects that VSF undertakes range from local projects to exchange programs. The local projects assist Buenos Aires and its surrounding areas with the purpose to better the lives and assist people who need it. Current projects range from soup kitchens in Villa 3 and volunteering with the Buenos Aires SIDA Foundation to social sports programs and solidarity trips to Patagonia. The fieldwork done by the VSF local projects resonates with the true nature of philanthropy.

Of course, VSF wouldn’t be “without borders” if they didn’t also have an exchange program. VSF offers volunteer leadership exchanges, exchange scholarships to help pay for travels and may other projects outside of one’s own country.

Volunteers from Argentina, Brazil, the United States, France, Spain and numerous others have participated in VSF. Volunteering to aid with VSF will show you a side of Argentina and Buenos Aires that most tourists, expats and porteños will not get to see.

Participation is free, and to enlist, learn about the projects and history of VSF, check out their websitehttp://www.voluntariossf.org.ar/idiomas/ingles/index.htm, where you can read with ease in either Spanish, Portuguese, French or English.

Tren Alma. This name probably doesn’t sound familiar to you, and yet, it’s one of the most established NGOs in Argentina. The story started in 1980. Some medical volunteers decided to get on a train to go to the north-west of the country. Their aim was simple: to provide children with social and medical assistance; This year, the train celebrates its thirtieth birthday.

The foundation was actually launched in the 70s, at a time when the pediatric system was almost non-existent in Argentina. In 1973, the pediatrician Martín Jorge Urtasun decided that this association would help to create, maintain and improve the pediatric services at the hospital Torcuato de Alvear, in Buenos Aires. But the objectives changed over the years. “We quickly realised that only kids from the province of Buenos Aires could come to the hospital to be treated. Those coming from further provinces were so ill that they came here to die. There was no option for them. That’s why we had the idea of using a train to visit them,” says Oscar Algranti, the president of Tren Alma.

Back then, the rail network granted them permission and that’s how, in 1980, the adventure started with three carriages and no locomotive. This train was not conventional. But it included all the material the team needed to live there for a few weeks and to take care of the children. A kitchen, a dormitory, a common room, a laboratory and a nursery were installed.

“There are still a lot of things missing in the train, but at least, we can help those children. It’s difficult to imagine that here, in Buenos Aires, we have access to the latest technologies and up in the north, people don’t even have access to a basic medical system. They live in the middle of nowhere,” explains Alicia Noemi Coronel, a nurse working for the foundation.

Alicia started volunteering for Tren Alma ten years ago. Every year she takes three weeks off at from Julio Mendez clinic where she works in the pediatric service, packs her suitcase and goes with the train. “It’s an amazing adventure,” she says. Her only concern remains the salary. “My manager gives me the authorisation to work for the foundation but I don’t get paid while I’m away, and to be honest, this is problematic. At the end of the month, I still have to pay my bills.” But when I ask her why she is doing this, her answer is immediate: “Because those kids need our help. When I started I was just recovering from an accident. I was lucky enough to receive all the help and the medical care I needed. Now, it’s my turn to give back what people gave me.”

Alicia is not the only volunteer to join the association. Approximately 90 people offer their help every year to the NGO and this number is rising - back in the 80s, there were 50 volunteers. Algranti says, “There are two types of humanitarian workers: The first ones are usually young doctors who want to save the world. They leave Buenos Aires with a good dose of enthusiasm, some ideas and a lot of hope. But after a couple of days spent in one of the poorest areas of the country, they come back with some disillusions and realise that they haven’t been able to change anything. On the other side, there is a group of well established doctors, usually in their 50s, who come to bring their experience, aware that, unfortunately, they can’t reverse the tendency.”

More than just a medical assistance, the foundation offers an important social support. The team provides a real backup for the population. One of its main missions is to reduce the level of malnutrition by providing some tips on what to eat. “In some regions, walking for six kilometres to get water is a common occurrence. As a matter of fact, most of the time the food is unhealthy and doesn’t contain vitamins and proteins that children need,” Algranti explains.

The other big issue remains the sexual health. “In the north-west provinces, families are usually large and it gets difficult for the parents to feed all their children,” adds Alicia. So the medical team also discuss contraception and family planning. “At the beginning, we used to help new born babies and children up to 14 years old. A few years ago, we decided to extend the childcare to teenagers until their 18th birthday. It’s really important to assist this range of the population as girls get pregnant very early,” explains Algranti.

Since 1980, Tren Alma has organised 170 trips and helped more than 80,000 children. Even though the conditions are sometimes precarious, the volunteers happily say that the experience is memorable. And they always come back with some anecdotes to tell, such as the women who teach them how to wash their clothes, using the sap from a cactus or one young boy who received a medical assistance and who turned out to be the grandson of a girl the train had assisted in the 80s.

Today, Tren Alma has changed little from when it started. The three carriages are still there. Also the train still doesn’t have any locomotive. “Obviously, this causes some technical problems. Without a proper locomotive, we have to find either a car or another train to lead the carriages. So, every year, in February and March, we issue a map with places where we want to go. Then, we carefully coordinate the trips with the rail company,” says Algranti.

The train leaves from Retiro Station six or seven times ever year, between April and November. Each trip usually lasts two or three weeks and as a general rule, the foundation selects only small towns of under 3,500 habitants. “Before going anywhere, we inform the population via a campaign. We tend to visit the same cities from one year to another. However, this can vary, depending on the local infrastructures. When we notice that the medical services have been extended in a town, we stop going, as we believe that the train no longer has good reason for being there. Our idea is to go where a government service hasn’t yet been established as we don’t want to compete with this service,” states Algranti.

When I asked him if the foundation would like to extend the trips to others towns, his answer was affirmative. One remaining concern is the functioning of the rail network, which, despite there being tracks covering most of the country, have been left to ruin after years of neglect and mass privatisation of the railways. But most of all, the main reason for not expending the trip is cost. Each trip costs US$7,000. Even though large charitable foundations and the private sector help the organisation cover its basic expenses, it is still facing financial problems.

Despite this, Tren Alma’s team still has some plans to expand its services. The association’s board would like to create dermatological and gynecological assistance. Also, in the future, the team wishes to develop a rotating system. Thus, the doctors could stay in these towns for a longer period. “But this requires much more money than we have,” Algranti explains.

On 9th April, Tren Alma will leave Retiro station to go back to the north of Argentina. Destination: Santiago del Estero. Like every year since 1980, the volunteers will pursue their aim: giving assistance to the population of one the poorest areas of the country. Not an easy task but probably “the best in life experience” concludes Alicia.

For donations or more information on Tren Alma: www.fundacionalma.org.ar