El Arca

What El Arca does

El Arca (Asociación Civil El Arca) is an Argentine nonprofit civil association founded in 1986 by three women — Mirta Quinteros, Betina Perona, and Bettina Cotta — to provide residential care for children and adolescents living on the streets of Buenos Aires. Since 2011, following the conclusion of its residential program, the organization has operated a community-based model in Cuartel V, Moreno, where it accompanies 5,000+ children, adolescents, and their families through an integrated ecosystem of education, recreation, sports, and civic participation programs. Its core service offerings include Apadrinamiento (a monthly child sponsorship program serving 725 students), Alfabetización (literacy support with UCA university tutoring and the itinerant Biblioteca El Jacarandá), Seguimiento Escolar (home and school visits by promotoras), Juegotecas (mobile play spaces), El Arca Fútbol (mixed-gender soccer with 70 players), Consejos Áulicos and Centros de Estudiantes (democratic participation in schools), Consejos Territoriales (community councils), and the Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño (child rights education). The organization also operates solidarity gift fundraising (Regalos Solidarios) and a volunteer pipeline spanning local, corporate, and international (IB Germany) participants.

The business model is donor-funded rather than technology-based. El Arca generates revenue through monthly recurring sponsorships (suggested tiers of ARS $2,000, $5,000, and $8,000), one-time donations, and a solidarity gift catalog of items priced from ARS $2,000 to $30,000. The organization does not develop proprietary software; its core technology stack is off-the-shelf (Mercado Pago for payments, Every.org for international tax-deductible donations, Wix-hosted website, WhatsApp for stakeholder contact). All programs are delivered directly by El Arca's own team of 20+ professionals and community promotoras across 3 primary schools, 1 secondary school, 2 community centers, and 1 community sports facility. The go-to-market motion is hybrid: community-led engagement for beneficiaries, direct-to-consumer for sponsor recruitment, and event-driven visibility through solidarity campaigns and earned media (HBO documentary, Telefe news).

Name

El Arca

Legal name

Asociación Civil El Arca

Website

https://elarca.org.ar

Company type

Private

Founded year

1986

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

El Arca is an Argentine nonprofit founded in 1986 that operates an integrated ecosystem of education, recreation, and participation programs serving 5,000+ children and families in Cuartel V, Moreno, funded by 700+ monthly sponsors, solidarity gifts, and institutional partners.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Children's Education and Social Services (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Educational Services (611), Educational Support Services (611710), Sports and Recreation Instruction (611620)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300), Services-Educational Services (8200), Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900)

akta.pro primary industry

Early Childhood Development (ECD) & Pre-Primary Education (BPADAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Inclusion-Focused SEL for Diverse Learners (ECE) (EDACAOAK), Family Engagement & Take-Home Learning Materials (Home Packs, Parent Guides) (EDACAJAL)

Keywords

• Child sponsorship programs
• Community education services
• Nonprofit social services
• Children rights advocacy
• Literacy youth programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Moreno

HQ country

Argentina

HQ region

Latin America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Sponsorship (Apadrinamiento): Monthly recurring donations from padrinos and madrinas (sponsors) who support a specific child or adolescent. Sponsors receive letters, drawings, and updates from their ahijado/a and contribute to the child's education, recreational activities, and broader community programs. This is the primary and most emotionally engaged revenue stream.
2. One-time Donations: Individual donors make single, discretionary donations at any amount, often directed toward specific projects (alfabetización, football, juegotecas). Donation options are offered via the website and Every.org for US-based donors.
3. Solidarity Gifts (Regalos Solidarios): Catalog-based one-time donations for specific material needs: sports equipment, school supplies, library books, jerseys, and game sets. Prices range from ARS $2,000 to $30,000 per item. This model combines fundraising with engagement by letting donors give tangible items.
4. Volunteer Program Revenue (In-kind): El Arca receives pro-bono contributions from professional volunteers, corporate volunteer teams, and international volunteers. While not direct monetary revenue, these reduce operational costs for educational, administrative, and community activities.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels9 records

Core offering

El Arca delivers a community-based ecosystem of educational, recreational, and civic participation programs for children, adolescents, and families in Cuartel V, Moreno, Buenos Aires. Its core offerings are funded through a child sponsorship program (apadrinamiento) and a solidarity gift donation catalog, and are delivered directly through partner schools, community centers, plazas, and the El Arca Fútbol sports facility. Programs span school follow-up, literacy, mixed-gender soccer, play spaces, student councils, territorial councils, and child rights education, reaching 5,000+ children and adolescents.

Product overview

El Arca is a civil association (Asociación Civil) founded in 1986 in Argentina, focused on guaranteeing the rights of children, adolescents, and their families in the Cuartel V neighborhood of Moreno, Buenos Aires. The organization operates a comprehensive ecosystem of programs centered on educational inclusion and youth participation. Its core offerings include: (1) Apadrinamiento - a child sponsorship program with monthly donations; (2) Regalos Solidarios - one-time donation gifts supporting specific projects; (3) Alfabetización - literacy support including virtual tutoring and the 'Biblioteca El Jacarandá' itinerant library; (4) El Arca Fútbol - mixed-gender soccer program promoting inclusion; (5) Juegotecas - mobile play spaces in neighborhood squares; (6) Consejos Áulicos and Centros de Estudiantes - democratic participation spaces in schools; (7) Consejos Territoriales - community councils for collective neighborhood improvement; (8) Seguimiento Escolar and Fortalecimiento de Escuelas - educational trajectory support and school strengthening; (9) child rights education programs based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child; and (10) volunteer programs spanning professional internships, corporate and community volunteering, and international exchanges. The organization reaches over 5,000 children and adolescents through these integrated programs.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Apadrinamiento (Child Sponsorship Program) A monthly recurring sponsorship program connecting individual donors (padrinos/madrinas) with children and adolescents in Cuartel V, Moreno. Sponsors receive letters, drawings, and updates from their godchild and fund the child's education, recreational activities, and broader community programs. Currently supports 725 children and adolescents in school trajectories.
• Regalos Solidarios (Solidarity Gifts Catalogue) A catalogue of one-time monetary donations for specific material needs across El Arca's programs, including sports equipment, school supplies, library books, jerseys, and game sets. Prices range from ARS $2,000 to $30,000 per item.
• Alfabetización (Literacy Program) Literacy support program for children and adolescents in Cuartel V, including virtual tutoring with UCA university students, adolescent literacy workshops, and the itinerant library 'El Jacarandá' promoting family reading.
• El Arca Fútbol (Mixed-Gender Soccer Program) Mixed-gender soccer school promoting inclusion, teamwork, and gender equity for approximately 70 children. Operates from a community sports facility maintained through solidarity donations and volunteer effort.
• Juegotecas (Mobile Play Spaces) Mobile play spaces deployed in neighborhood squares that promote the right to play, good treatment, and social bonds through games, reading activities, and creative materials for children.
• Puntos de Encuentro (Community Meeting Points) Weekly meetings at school gates where children and families share games, readings, and drawings; address school difficulties, health issues, and rights violations; and connect with other community institutions.
• Consejos Áulicos (Classroom Councils) Assembly and workshop spaces in primary schools where children and teachers build collective dialogue tools and agreements for mutual care, addressing school conflicts as learning opportunities.
• Centros de Estudiantes (Student Centers) Democratic representation spaces in secondary schools where students, teachers, and administrators work together on delegate elections and improve school life and institutional climate.
• Consejos Territoriales (Territorial Councils) Weekly gatherings of children and educators to collectively discuss community issues, build proposals, and work with local organizations and authorities to improve schools, squares, streets, and community centers.
• Seguimiento Escolar (School Follow-Up) Family visits and school monitoring to address difficulties in educational trajectories, including distance barriers, lack of materials, and housing-related health issues affecting school attendance.
• Fortalecimiento de Escuelas (School Strengthening) Support for public schools through recreational activities, workshops on good treatment, innovative pedagogical proposals, teaching materials, and advocacy for infrastructure improvements and new schools.
• Convención sobre los Derechos del Niño (Child Rights Education) Educational program teaching children, families, and communities about the 10 rights of children and adolescents based on the Convention on the Rights of the Child and Argentine Law 26.061.
• Voluntariado (Volunteer Program) Volunteer program spanning professional internships, corporate volunteering, social/community volunteering, and international volunteering (including exchanges with IB Germany), supporting educational, cultural, recreational, and sports activities.

Quantifiable outcome

• 300 children and adolescents who lived on the street left street life through El Arca's residential care program (1986–2011)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered supporting.

• Every.orgsupportingGTM or Marketing PartnerEvery.org provides an international donation platform that allows donors from the United States and other countries to make tax-deductible contributions to El Arca. This partnership extends El Arca's fundraising reach beyond Argentina, enabling international sponsorship and one-time donations.
• IB Germany (International Brotherhood)supportingOthersIB Germany is a volunteer organization that sends international volunteers to support El Arca's programs in Cuartel V, Moreno. Testimonials from IB Germany volunteers appear on El Arca's website, indicating a long-standing relationship for international volunteer exchange.
• Mercado PagosupportingTechnology or IntegrationMercado Pago is the primary payment processing platform used by El Arca's website for collecting donations, sponsorship payments, and solidarity gift purchases. It enables secure online financial transactions for donors in Argentina.
• UCA (Universidad Católica Argentina)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerStudents from UCA provide virtual academic support to children and adolescents enrolled in El Arca's programs, accompanying them in developing study habits and completing school assignments. This is a university-community engagement program.
• Various Argentine Universities and Community ReferentssupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEl Arca collaborates with universities and community leaders to develop didactic strategies and educational activities for literacy programs. These academic partnerships bring pedagogical expertise and research capacity to the organization's educational initiatives.
• 15 Partner Entities (Logos Displayed)supportingOthersEl Arca's website displays logos of 15 partner entities that 'confían en nuestro trabajo' (trust our work), indicating institutional partnerships or funders. The specific names of these entities are not individually labeled in the source text.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Regional players

• TECHO: Latin American nonprofit building homes and community infrastructure in informal settlements, with a heavy volunteer mobilization model. Comparable in volunteer-driven community programs in vulnerable Argentine neighborhoods, though focused on housing rather than education.

Emerging players

• Asociación Conciencia: Argentine nonprofit running education and civic-participation programs in schools nationwide. Comparable on student councils, rights education, and school-based civic engagement components.
• Fundación Cimientos: Argentine nonprofit focused on educational trajectories and secondary-school persistence for vulnerable youth. Comparable on the school-strengthening and dropout-prevention dimension of El Arca's work.

Direct peers

• Aldeas Infantiles SOS Argentina: Argentina affiliate of SOS Children's Villages, providing residential and community-based child welfare programs. Direct comparable in mission, beneficiary population, and program model for vulnerable children in Argentina.
• Children International: Global child sponsorship organization with direct bilateral sponsor-child relationship model. Closest analog to El Arca's apadrinamiento program in terms of recurring donor mechanics and beneficiary engagement.
• Compassion International: Faith-based child sponsorship organization running literacy, education, and community programs for children in poverty. Direct comparable for sponsorship model and education-plus-participation program mix.
• Save the Children Argentina: Argentine branch of a global child-rights NGO running education, health, and protection programs in vulnerable communities. Comparable in focus on children's rights, educational emergency response, and sponsorship/fundraising model.
• World Vision Argentina: Argentine operations of World Vision, operating child sponsorship programs and community development. Very comparable apadrinamiento-style sponsorship model and education/integrated community programs.

Others

• Fundación SES: Argentine sustainability/education foundation working with youth in vulnerable contexts across the Conurbano Bonaerense. Adjacent comparable in the Buenos Aires youth-education ecosystem and grant-funded NGO operating model.

Broad incumbents

• UNICEF Argentina: Country office of the UN children's fund, running large-scale education and child-rights programs in Argentina. Comparable in child-rights framework and education-emergency focus, but operates at much larger scale and with different funding mechanisms.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@elarcaorg
• Facebookfacebook.com/AsocElArca
• Instagraminstagram.com/elarcaorg
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/elarcaorg

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles8 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about El Arca