They are like any mother who makes sure their child is well fed and properly dressed before sending him or her off to school. But instead of preparing their own child for just one day of school, they are preparing hundreds of children for an entire year of school.

School children with SACS school supplies (Photo courtesy of SACS)

These are the women behind SACS.

The organisation, whose acronym stands for “Send a Child to School”, personally delivers a brand-new backpack containing all the essential supplies to nearly 1,000 primary school students. In the backpack, each child receives notebooks, paper, pencils, erasers (as required by grade level), as well as shoes, socks and the regulation lab coat all correctly sized to fit the student.

What started as a simple toy drive at Christmas 12 years ago in a soup kitchen in Belgrano has turned into a successful charitable organisation supporting youth education. The toy drive was led by several volunteers from BAIN (Buenos Aires International Newcomers), expats who were looking for ways to help the local community.

After the economic crash of 2001, however, it was clear that many local families were struggling with more basic needs.

“Many of these children have never received anything new in their lives,” says Juhi Manwai, who has been involved with SACS for nearly 10 years. “No matter how aware you are of people living in difficult situations, it is always an eye-opening experience to see the kind of appreciation we get.”

SACS volunteers personally deliver the backpacks every February, in time for the start of the school year. The organisations that receive the backpacks include after-school centres, boarding schools, orphanages, and individual school classrooms. Each year SACS reviews between 2,500 to 3,000 applications for the backpacks, which is nearly three times the number of backpacks they are able to provide.

SACS volunteers with happy recipients (Photo courtesy of SACS)

Last year was the first year that Casa del Niño Nueva Familia was the recipient of SACS backpacks, enabling them to distribute the supplies to 100 of their students. Located in Tigre, Casa del Niño Nueva Familia is a non-profit centre that offers before and after school care to children of working parents. Along with a mid-day meal, they provide instruction and help with homework, special programs such are art and literature classes and physical education activities.

Although attendance is free, parents are required to contribute to the centre in some manner. Some teach classes while others help with the daily operations such as working in the kitchen. Many of the childrens’ fathers provide building maintenance by cleaning windows or fixing electrical problems.

Charitable donations such as the SACS backpacks are key to the centre’s success says Maria Lavista, one of its leading volunteers. Because Casa del Niño is very much a community-supported project, the sense of gratitude from its beneficiaries is deep.

Contributions from a group run by expats seem to be particularly appreciated. One father, after watching his child receive a SACS backpack last year, was especially moved by the generosity of a charity run by foreigners. “He was a cartonero”, says Lavista. “He said it was the first time he had gotten something for free that had no political strings attached. And it was amazing to him that these women, who couldn’t even speak Spanish, wanted to help people living in Argentina”.

If SACS came to be out of a need to help local families and their children, it has also served as a way to bring expats together in Buenos Aires. “Especially after the economic problems in 2001, there was a lot of hatred towards foreigners”, says Manwani. “At that time people were afraid to go out into the street because they were from other countries”. For many expats, however, giving back to the community makes them feel like they belong here.

Every year SACS raises money through fundraisers, which include concerts, embassy receptions, teas, and fashion shows. Additionally, the organisation receives corporate donations and sponsorships, and relies on private support from the community.