Help vulnerable Argentine students finish college

Soledad grew up in Ciudad Oculta, one of the largest and most vulnerable informal settlements in Buenos Aires.  Home to more than 30,000 people, the neighborhood faces high levels of poverty, overcrowding, informal employment, and limited access to basic infrastructure.

Born in Argentina to Paraguayan parents, she was raised in a household where opportunities were limited, but education was deeply valued. Her mother works as a house cleaner, and her father takes occasional construction jobs. Neither of them finished primary school.

Soledad received a scholarship from Fundación Integrar to study Business Administration. She graduated in 2020 and later completed a second degree in Public Accounting. Today, she works as an accounting analyst at a leading company in institutional and corporate catering services. She values the stability the job provides, the professional experience she continues to gain, and the fact that it is close to her home. Like many first-generation professionals, she also takes on independent accounting projects to supplement her income and continue growing in her field. One benefit she especially values is the health insurance provided through her job, which became particularly important last year when she underwent two surgeries.

Two years ago, Soledad and her partner finally moved out of the neighborhood where she grew up and into a home of their own. She now enjoys a calmer environment, reliable access to basic services, and a greater sense of security and independence.

“For me, graduating was one of the happiest days of my life because it meant so much more than earning a degree.

My parents made huge sacrifices to give us opportunities they never had. When I started university, I honestly didn’t know if I would be able to finish. Studying while living in a slum and working at the same time was exhausting: the long commutes, the noise, the constant movement around me... Many times, it felt impossible to stay focused or keep going. That’s why Integrar was so important to me. It wasn’t only financial support. It was having people who encouraged me, followed my progress, and made me believe I could actually graduate.

When I graduated, I felt I was fulfilling my parents’ dream: that their daughter could study, grow, and contribute to the country that had opened its doors to them. But graduation also changed the way I saw my own future. For the first time, I could imagine things that had always felt out of reach: traveling, saving money, making long-term plans, even owning a home one day. It was then that I realized my life could be much bigger than I had ever imagined.

Today, Soledad is also a donor to Fundación Integrar.
For her, the scholarship meant much more than financial support: it meant having people who believed in her before she fully believed in herself.