Since Argentina’s government imposed a nation-wide quarantine to combat the COVID-19 pandemic on 20 March, uncertainty and apprehension have seemed just as infectious as the virus. To counter that, UN Argentina began highlighting stories about everyday acts of kindness. From small gestures to big projects, ordinary people are making a lasting difference in the lives of those around them.
Carlos, an essential worker keeping the city clean
First we meet Carlos, who for over 25 years has worked on the waste disposal system of the city of Buenos Aires and is one of the essential workers who continue to fulfill their tasks during quarantine. As Carlos points out, his relationship with the neighbors of the City is a two-way collaboration: “they help me by stacking the leaves that fall during this time of the year, just to make my work a little easier, and I assist them with what they may need when they can’t leave their houses due to the confinement”.
Gastón and Jorge, neighbors helping neighbors
The next story features Saun, an online platform where users can log-in and start a collaborative project or crowd raising to help someone in need. The platform saw an exponential increase in its traffic during the last months, and it was through it that Gastón, a resident of Buenos Aires, was able to transform someone else’s life. He had met Jorge, a homeless person, sleeping on one of the streets of his neighborhood and wanted to help him. Once he learned about Saun, he uploaded his story to the platform and gathered support from people from all around the world to come together and improve Jorge’s reality. Now, Jorge has found a place to live and is working at a nearby news stand - all it took was just one act of kindness to spurt change.
Abofem, volunteer legal advice for women
The third video portrays the work of Abofem, an all-women team of lawyers who partnered up in order to provide free assistance to women during the COVID-19 pandemic. By replicating a successful experience in Chile, Abofem Argentina organized a network of volunteers -both men and women- to help those who are single caretakers of their children with grocery shopping and assistance. “Our main goal is to provide a feminist approach to law, by empowering women and LGBTIQ identities”, says Florencia Chaito, part of Abofem Executive Committee.
Paula and Ariel, two parents helped by neighbors
Lastly, ONU Argentina shared an interview with Paula and Ariel, a couple who went through several economic set-backs and are currently living with their toddler in a bus parked in the neighborhood of Parque Centenario in BA. Paula and Ariel, who call themselves “the bus guys”-, were pleasantly surprised by the solidarity and empathy of neighbors since the pandemic begun. Every day, neighbors provide them with household items, clothes and toys for their children. Paula, overwhelmed by the kindness of strangers, describes it like this: “Since the pandemic, everyone is much more empathic and loving, you can see the change in the people. Abundance is the word that comes to mind”.
This could have been just a series of short videos portraying different acts of kindness. But, as it was originally intended, this story does not end here: someone from the Saun staff, moved by the story of Paula and Ariel, contacted UN Argentina to ask for their contact and start a crowd funding for them - even in the face of a global pandemic, solidarity keeps spreading.
See the first part of this video series here.
