In 2015 the UN published its 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development whose objectives include quality, inclusive, egalitarian education at every level, thus establishing a blueprint for education across the world. But even before then, wineries in Argentina were investing in training for their workers and community education as tools to improve their partners’ skills and as a means of building a better future.
Wineries supporting education
Among the wineries supporting education, we find Bodega Trivento who, for the past 15 years, have done sterling work in the area and a few months ago arrived at another landmark: the opening of the first Open Classroom for the community at whom the initiative is aimed. Run in partnership with the General Schools Department of Mendoza, the program involves winery partners suggesting potential candidates looking to complete their studies and to access other opportunities for personal growth and wellbeing.
In 2008 Trivento began the first cycle of a “Semi-Remote Education Completion” program aimed at workers looking to complete their secondary school studies. After its success, in 2017 they added a primary school classroom for those who hadn’t completed their basic studies. Today, all of the company’s educational initiatives are linked to the Programa Vientos de Oportunidad (Winds of Change Program).
For the past 8 years, the winery has also run a Grant Fund – FonBec – a study grant program. In 2022, 101 annual grants were given to students all over Argentina of which 50% were financed through sales of Trivento’s White Malbec, one of the winery’s innovations.
Communities and wineries supporting education
María José Pellegrina, who runs the Social Responsibility department at Familia Zuccardi, says that at their Maipú and Santa Rosa vineyards they run an educational completion center for adults, a kindergarten and a school support center. “We’re a satellite classroom of Cens in the Fray Luis Beltrán region. We opened a physical space at the winery so that our workers and people from the area could complete their secondary school studies.”
The format adapts to workers’ situations and schedule in a semi-remote model, with assignments one week a month. “The groups are small and the teaching is personalized and within working hours. Students can also send their queries outside of working hours,” says Pellegrina.
In addition to supporting projects from other primary and secondary institutions in Maipú, Santa Rosa and the Uco Valley, the winery provides professional workshops so that students completing their studies can sample a professional experience at the company.
A promising future
At Bodegas Bianchi, support for education of young people and adults connected to the winery began in 2012 when it was discovered that an employee at the vineyard was unable to read or write. Through a partnership with Cebja in the district of Las Paredes in San Rafael they built the Escuelita Bodegas Valentín Bianchi.
By 2015, the space had 15 students and, in 2022, 8 were taking primary and 13 secondary studies. Among the distinctive aspects of the program – which today is run at the Finca Asti and Finca Doña Elsa vineyards – is that it adapts to the needs of students, provides computer classes and delivers school equipment (one of the main economic barriers to students), a daily tea and transport.
Life projects
The Grupo Peñaflor, in partnership with the Fundación Bemberg, supports a Centro Pescar and a Women’s Empowerment program in Gualtallary. Fundación Pescar is a civil organization dedicated to training people with limited resources to help them join the workforce and plan their lives. They are also active in Chañar Punco, Catamarca, where they run a grant program together with Minkai, a civil association that provides support to adolescents and their families so they can continue their studies.
For the past three years, they have given out 20 grants to support young people, help them finish secondary school and provide guidance for their future endeavors. A similar program is also being run in Maipú, where the company’s plant is located in Coquimbito.
Bodega Trapiche, meanwhile, is providing support for the completion of studies in partnership with Cimientos, an organization that works with young people to help them achieve a better future through education.
