Maná Civil Association - Venado Tuerto
ABOUT US
MANÁ - Venado Tuerto is a non-profit organization that works in a neighborhood called "Esfuerzo Propio" in Venado Tuerto (Santa Fe, Argentina) carrying out tasks of prevention of child malnutrition and human promotion, as a member of the CONIN Network.
Objectives
Esfuerzo Propio being a low-income neighborhood, with serious housing problems and conditions of risk of social exclusion in general, we consider it necessary to implement education and human promotion programs. Our objective is to replace, thus, the welfare practices that generate dependency and decrease in self-esteem, preventing the personal, family and community development of human groups.
Present & future
Our work focuses on children and adolescents, as a bet on the future, and on women as key protagonists, centres and motors of the family nucleus, in this path of inclusion, permanence and continuity of the community. In this context, MANÁ - Venado Tuerto joins with other social actors present in the territory in order to generate a network and join efforts to provide comprehensive attention to the problems of these family groups. This is why the links with the Public Sector, institutions and companies are strengthened through joint work in the territory, taking advantage of the strengths of each institution and the resources available both from the public and private sectors. The conviction of working in a network means accepting that together we know and can do more. It is in the network where, through the participation and connectivity of many different people, alternatives are generated and discovered in order to overcome obstacles towards our goals.
History
Some members of MANÁ began their work in "Esfuerzo Propio" in 2001 within the framework of a solidarity project of the "Santa Rosa" School from Venado Tuerto, which consisted of preparing a snack every day for the children of the neighborhood. Due to different circumstances, the project had to be separated from the school and continued from the Parroquia de la Misericordia, adding catechesis to the existing snack. In 2008 contact was made with the CONIN Foundation through Aapresid. The CONIN methodology was adopted as a tool for the prevention and treatment of child malnutrition, later becoming evident that the scope of the organization needed to be expanded to other age groups and needs of the neighborhood. Thus began the four different programs with whom the Association currently works.
CONIN network
Since May 2012, MANÁ - Venado Tuerto has been recognized as a Center for the Prevention of Child Malnutrition, belonging to the CONIN Network (Red CONIN)