[Tango-L] Milonga Para Los Niños Update - February 2007

[John Lowry]

Milonga Para Los Niños annual Tango 6th Annual charity ball is again  
set for he last Saturday in July at the magnificent Tara ballroom  
(Brisbane Irish Club) and at venues in Sydney, Adelaide and other  
cities around Australia and the world at times to suit.  The force  
behind Para Los Niños is the collective love and care of the Global  
Tango Village for the children of the world, through the language of  
love, Tango.

In September 2006, Cheryl & John travelled to Argentina to review the  
ongoing social work of Para Los Niños and to start to build a future  
for children based on relevant vocational education and opportunity.

We are again helping Neuvo Horizonte de Juvenil, this time with  
materials, tools and resources to build a recreation centre for local  
children.  The work includes renovating an old club house and  
swimming pool that they were granted from the local government.  The  
social workers who drive this initiative are highly motivated and  
capable men.  We have no  doubt that we will swim with the local kids  
in the pool this time next year.

Los Honeros, the foster home in Moreno, on the outskirts of Buenos  
Aires now fosters 15 children, up from 7 in 2001 and feeds a further  
80 at week-ends.  We (by that I mean you) are responsible for this  
increased capability by providing operational kitchens, bathrooms and  
housing.

But what the young people really want is opportunity.  We asked them  
how we might help to create suitable opportunity.  They told us that  
their hogar (home) has its roots in creativity.  Elisa and her  
friends have always sewn naive tapestry to sell, apart from raising  
chickens and doing as much as possible to be self-sufficient.   Some  
of the older children have an interest in (but no resources) for  
graphic arts, film and the creative arts.  We suggested that we could  
support the creation of a graphic arts centre at Honeros, to teach  
computer skills, web design that we believe are easy skills to deploy  
from anywhere.  We left them to plan a secure building, plan a  
suitable curriculum and to see how we can provide the resources to  
implement this ambitious plan.

During our visit we renewed and made valuable contacts, including  
Nestor Stancanelli (former ambassador to Australia and now  
Argentina's chief trade and economic negotiator)  .He has promised to  
help us with negotiating the shipment of computers through customs.

On our return, we received an offer from a Brisbane company  
specialising in Mac computers, PC-Deal, to supply as many high  
quality Mac's as we need, at way below cost.  There are Angels  
everywhere.  They are ready to go as soon as we can accommodate them.

Today we received the following news from our beloved and faithful  
managers in Buenos Aires, Mercedes & Hernan Domini:-

HOLA JOHN & CHERYL

I MET WITH THE LADY ROSANA FROM THE OASI FOUNDATION. THE MEETING WAS  
VERY INTERESTING!. HER BROTHER IS THE PRESIDENT OF THE FOUNDATION.   
HE BUILT THE FOUNDATION TO HELP SCHOOLS AND CHILDREN'S HOMES. HE HAS  
PEOPLE WORKING IN IT FULL TIME. THEY WANT TO WORK TOGETHER WITH US  
FOR LOS HORNEROS HOME IN ORDER TO FINISH THE HOUSE AS SOON AS POSIBLE.

ACTUALLY THEY HAVE AN EDUCATION SCHEDULE IN DIFERENTS PLACES.   
BECAUSE OF THAT, A PERCUSSION TEACHER GOES TO LOS HORNEROS ONCE A  
WEEK WITH INSTRUMENTS, TEACHING PERCUSSION, AFRICAN MUSIC, ETC. THE  
FOUNDATION PAYS FOR THESE CLASSES.

THE MUSIC CLASSES ARE GIVEN UNDER THE TREES, THE CHILDREN CHOOSE THE  
PLACE FOR THE CLASSES.

I FORGOT TO TELL YOU THAT ELISA TOLD ME (WHEN WE WENT THERE TO GIVE  
THE SWIMMING POOL) SAID THAT SHE KNOWS AN ARQUITECT WHO LIVED IN LOS  
HORNEROS WHEN HE WAS A CHILD. SHE ASKED HIM IF HE COULD DO THE WORK  
AND HE SAID YES.

HE HAS GOOD IDEAS LIKE BUILDING BEDROOMS WITH ENOUGH SPACE TO HAVE A  
DESK THERE, HE WANT TO CREATE A SUSTAINABLE HOUSE WITH SOLAR ENERGY,  
RECYCLING ETC.

KISSES FOR YOU.

MERCEDES AND HERNAN.

Hold your heads up, Tango dancers of Brisbane, Sydney and Adelaide.   
You are directly responsible for giving these children the chance of  
a dignified, productive life.

It is our dream to host an annual milonga in every Tango community in  
the world, in the biggest Tango embrace the world has ever seen.  If  
you want to contribute to Milonga para Los Niños by organising a  
dance in your city, please contact cheryl at lowry.com.au.