Le Sartén por el Mango, established by the Arché Foundation, is a child welfare program in Buenos Aires, Argentina. Literally translated to “the pan by the handle,” the center provides nutritious meals and enrichment activities for vulnerable children ages 6 to 13.

In December 2025, data reported that 28% of the city’s population lives in poverty. Many of those attending the child welfare program in Buenos Aires also experience additional challenges such as domestic violence, exposure to drugs and neglect. A safe and positive environment offers them a much-needed sanctuary.

How Was It Founded?

In December 2013, Argentinian Valeria Taraborelli and New Zealander Ben Whittaker founded Le Sartén por el Mango. They wanted to set up a community kitchen to provide children with nutritious meals and artistic activities to support their well-being. The Borgen Project spoke to Soledad Arce, the head coordinator of Le Sartén, about her work at the center. Arce has worked there as an art teacher and progress facilitator since 2014. She took over from Taraborelli and Whittaker in 2021, and Le Sartén became part of the Citizen Construction scheme of the Arché Foundation. This seeks to foster community and welfare in Monte Chingolo, the neighborhood in which the center is based.

About the Center

The team running the child welfare program in Buenos Aires is made up of both permanent workers and short-term volunteers. They run activities such as gardening, cooking, sports, academics and arts and crafts, as well as providing emotional support. Arce spoke of the vulnerability of the children. She wants to give the attendees a space where they can “experience a different reality” and stressed the importance of the program because “everyone deserves the opportunity to live well and develop to their full potential.”

When asked about a typical day at the center, Arce remarked that no such thing exists. She emphasized the strive to establish routine while balancing the unexpected. “The children are going through difficult situations with their families. Sometimes they come very angry, other times they cry, and other times they are very quiet,” Arce said. To manage this, she ensures she has an overview of everything so she can prioritize what is most important. She consistently checks in with her colleagues, the kitchen, volunteers, the children and their families to ensure everything runs as smoothly as possible.

At the end of each day, Arce and her team evaluate the activities they put on to ensure they are tailored to the needs of the children currently at the center. Limited time and resources make this even more important. They must be flexible and willing to adapt to make sure everything they do is purposeful and deliberate.

The child welfare program in Buenos Aires used to be funded by the profits of a café Whittaker ran while in Australia. That has since closed, and they rely solely on fundraising events and monthly sponsors to keep up with growing attendance and inflation. Arce expressed her anxieties about the decreasing quality of food, activities and care they can offer the children and her desire to pay the hardworking staff better wages. Speaking on one of the many issues they face, Arce pointed out that they have only two shovels between 30 children, making group tasks in the garden nearly impossible. “We have to do a lot with very little,” she said.

The center witnesses many happy times. Arce spoke of positive experiences she has had with the children who attend. “The hugs, the laughter, and their achievements make it all worthwhile,” she commented. She described Le Sartén as a “refuge” that empowers her children to strive for a better life. She spoke of her awe of the children who have the strength to navigate so many difficult issues.

When asked about her favorite memory, Arce talked about La Sartén’s 10th anniversary in 2023. She invited past attendees and they reminisced about happy moments they had at the center. Arce saw firsthand the long-lasting impact the program has on whoever comes through its doors. It was “among the most deeply moving experiences I have had,” Arce expressed.

Looking Ahead

In the future, Arce hopes to expand the child welfare program in Buenos Aires. She hopes to build more classrooms and even open centers in new locations. This year, she is focusing on further fundraising efforts to ensure this vital work can last long into the future.

– Louise Nethercott

Louise is based in Vienna, Austria and focuses on Good News and Global Health for The Borgen Project.

Photo: Le Sartén por el Mango