Julieta Herrera Founds Educational Support in Argentina

Why this is here: Herrera recalls discovering that some children hadn’t attended school in a long time, and with assistance from other organizations, she helped their family enroll them, later receiving a photo of the children in their school uniforms, smiling and carrying the Argentinian flag.

Julieta Herrera, 26, of San Juan, Argentina, co-founded Brigadas Educativas, a youth group offering academic support in underserved neighborhoods. Six years ago, Herrera and friends began assisting children with schoolwork, initially believing they were simply “helping.” They soon realized the experience would also be a lesson in observation.

The group started during the pandemic, providing aid where possible—on makeshift classrooms with limited resources like shared tablets and borrowed materials. Herrera, whose parents are both professionals, found a stark contrast between her own upbringing and the realities faced by the children she met. Many struggled not from a lack of desire, but from basic needs going unmet: hunger, overcrowding, and limited access to resources.

She recounts a moment with a seven-year-old girl needing water, highlighting the everyday struggles often invisible to others. While Brigadas Educativas now extends beyond tutoring to include resource collection and advocacy, Herrera emphasizes the importance of simply being present and remembering names. Despite challenges, the work continues, fueled by messages like one from a ten-year-old named Gonzalo, who recently expressed his desire to return to school.