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Porvenir is dedicated to reducing child labor in rural zones in northern Argentina by providing a comprehensive program to address the issues facing child and adolescent laborers, as well as those at-risk of entering the workforce.

Program Components

Each summer, Porvenir brings together children and adolescents between the ages of 9 and 14, whose parents work in the tobacco industry. During the program, children participate in a variety of educational, recreational, artistic activities and sports under the supervision of teachers specially trained in the methodology of the program. Porvenir is implemented during January and February, months that coincide with the tobacco harvest and consequently a high demand for labor. The program is currently offered in 11 distinct centers in schools in the Salta and Jujuy provinces.

Over the course of the year, Porvenir also organizes a series of events to follow-up and evaluate program participants. During these follow-up workshops, Porvenir records cases of school desertion, migration due to changes in parental employment, and related information. The workshops also strive to reinforce lessons learned during the program, such as the importance of individual rights, school attendance, contributing to your family in each corresponding perspective.

Achievements

• In only four years, Porvenir has served more than 3,700 children.
• More than 300 teachers have been trained in the program methodology.
• Porvenir´s average summer attendance rate is 91% (taking into account the program is implemented during summer vacation).
• More than 1,000 mothers and fathers have participated in the program.
• 400 tobacco producers support the initiative.
• Porvenir represents a novel alliance involving the entire tobacco sector (companies, chambers and cooperatives)
• Multi-Sector Network, Porvenir collaborates with the private, public and non-profit sectors.

Challenges

Porvenir´s greatest challenge will be to replicate the program and adapt its methodology to address the problem of child labor in other industries.