A Teenager Worries About His Family's Future

Despite being a healthy and energetic 14 year old, Jose shows no enthusiasm for his daily life: he attends public school every morning, and in the afternoons does nothing except hang out every now and then with some friends in a park nearby.

Jose likes to listen to rock music, but without fanaticism. He is a fan of the popular Boca Juniors soccer team, but never goes to the stadium. One of the things he cares about most is his four year-old crossbreed dog, but Jose rarely plays with him. When he does go out, it is to a cyber café, to play Internet games for one peso (33 dollar cents) an hour.

"I used to think that I could study theatre or drawing. Although I could find a free course, how can I afford the transportation?" says Jose, seated in his family's apartment.

Jose lives with his mother Silvia and his brother Gaby. Silvia, 43, was divorced three years ago, is unemployed and so disappointed with the lack of opportunities that she has almost given up looking for jobs anymore. Gaby comes home late, after his working day as a sales representative of a publishing company. Jose's father is a taxi driver.

"I know my parents are going through hard times but I also know that as soon as they have some money, they give me what I need." At the top of his list is a new jogging suit. "I have two and both are in very bad condition," says Jose.

"It might take a couple of weeks, but we will bring it to him," says Silvia.

To stretch their scarce money, Silvia cooks a lot of pasta and rice: "they are cheap and easily fill the stomach." Their utility bills come every two months, so she uses the months "free" to buy the family necessities.

Although the bills are hard to afford, Silvia is most grateful for the support she receives from a JDC-sponsored Social Assistance Center for buying food at the supermarket: "The 150 pesos (about 50 dollars) I receive every month from the Jewish welfare system mean a lot to me," she says.

Over his last school vacation, Jose was invited to go to the Jewish summer camps at no cost as part of the Jewish relief campaign. "I was not very close to the Jewish institutions, but this seemed like a great idea and I had a wonderful time," says Jose.