WHAT IS CONIN?
CONIN Foundation (Cooperadora de la Nutrición Infantil) was founded in Mendoza, Argentina by Dr. Abel Albino in 1993. It is based on the comprehensive approach to the social problems that give rise to extreme poverty and its direct consequence, malnutrition. The effectiveness of the CONIN Method lies in addressing the root causes, going beyond short-term assistance measures that only address the immediate needs. The focus is on the prevention and recovery of pregnant women and malnourished children aged 0 to 5, those at nutritional risk, and/or at high social risk. Currently, we are 110 centers in 18 provinces of Argentina. Additionally, there are CONIN Centers in the Republic of Paraguay, Peru, Venezuela, and Gambia (Equatorial Africa).
A BRIEF OVERVIEW OF OUR HISTORY
We began our work in 2009, creating the Nutrir Foundation to have our own legal entity, since every CONIN center operates independently in administrative and financial matters. Since then, we have been working continuously with families from different municipalities and communities, including Yerba Buena, San Miguel de Tucumán, Las Talitas, Banda del Río Salí, Villa Carmela, Tafí Viejo, and Alderetes.
We started in a small house in Yerba Buena, gradually establishing a strong foundation to expand our reach to more families and communities.
In 2011, we moved to our current building, which provided us with unexpected horizons.
Today, we have dedicated consultation rooms for each professional, kindergarten classrooms, playgrounds, workshop spaces (for hygiene, nutrition, cooking, and crafts), as well as a clothing closet, kitchen, multipurpose hall, among other facilities. However, there is still much room for growth, and the number of children in need of our services calls us to action. While we have the necessary infrastructure, it is essential to have more CONIN allies who can help us open our doors on more days, reach more families, and provide fair salaries to our professionals.
OUR TEAM
One of the defining features of our center is the exceptional team we have. At CONIN San Miguel de Tucumán, we foster an environment of professionalism, dedication, and integrity, while also embracing a genuine sense of joy and familial connection.
Board of directors
Carolina Smidt (director),
Suky Mendez (coordinator),
Rosalía Sini (secretary),
Agustina del Franco (reception and kitchen supervisor),
Eleonora Basualdo (kitchen manager),
Gabriela Mayer (workshops instructor)
Maria de la Paz Mendez (Marketing leader).
Professionals
Medical doctors: Luciana Russo (pediatrician) and Santiago Mendez
Nutritionists: Victoria Guerineau and Agustina Salazar
Pediatric nurse: Mercedes Gomez
Social Workers: María Inés Paz Posse and Gustavo Santillán
Psychologist: Silvia Gramajo
Child development specialists: Mariana Nuñez and Guadalupe García Arnera
Preschool teachers and assistants: Marta Pirchi, Priscila Carrizo and Luciana Lopez
Support and Administrative Staff
Carolina Farías (Family Clothing Shop)
Rosalia Sini (Finance Manager)
Constanza Gramajo (Accountant)
Volunteers
Sofia Mirande, Yolanda Palomo, Claudia Bestani, Margarita Guerra and Ana Lía Ribo (workshop assistants), Inés Méndez and Virginia Aboslaiman (psychology), Vicente Trapani and Laureano Velazquez (Kitchen assistants) and Daniel Paz (technology support).