Camila, 22, from Buenos Aires, Argentina, has worked extensively in formal and informal education over the last few years. She studied to become a primary school teacher while pursuing a degree in Psychomotricity at the National University of Tres de Febrero in Buenos Aires and was a Jewish studies teacher for the past two years. Today, Camila is putting all that experience to work as The Jewish Agency’s TEN program director at their center in Argentina, which opened in February 2024. Located in Escobar, nestled within Buenos Aires, the center has welcomed three volunteer cohorts so far.
The Jewish Agency’s TEN (Tikkun Olam Empowerment Network, formerly known as Project TEN) program offers participants ethical volunteering opportunities in developing communities worldwide. Through TEN, volunteers are part of a service-learning experience using an integrated curriculum that focuses on Jewish values, community, and action. With centers located around the world, TEN brings global participants together to work alongside locals and immerse themselves in a new culture while enriching the community through meaningful activities, making a lasting impact.
“TEN brings together many values that are very important to me: informal education, volunteering, Israel, and the opportunity to teach and share my country’s culture and traditions with others,” stated Camila. “TEN allows volunteers to get to know other cultures and ways of living, to appreciate and value different perspectives on how to view and understand the world and Judaism.”
Camila serves as TEN’s local director in Argentina, and her role primarily involves working with schools, accompanying the volunteers and guiding them in lesson planning, and helping with Spanish. She also provides various training sessions and tips to the volunteers so they can really experience what it’s like to live in Argentina and what it’s like to be Jewish in Argentina so participants get the most out of their experience on every level.
“The impact we have generated in the community we work with is very significant despite the short timeframe. In the schools, the kids eagerly anticipate the classes with the volunteers to play and learn, broadening their horizons and understanding that other worlds are possible, sparking an interest in learning English, curiosity about culture, and a desire to keep learning,” Camila explained.
For Camila, one of her favorite parts of working for TEN is getting to see how the participants take part in a cultural exchange with each other and with the local Argentinian community.
“TEN is a very introspective program and allows participants to discover themselves,” Camila added. “And seeing the difference TEN makes in the local community and how meaningful the volunteering is to each cohort is truly beautiful.”
