In Buenos Aires, around 3,000 homeless individuals gathered on Tuesday for a heartwarming Christmas charity dinner, held amid the challenging reality of widespread poverty affecting over half of Argentina’s population. This marked the eighth consecutive year of the “NoFamilyWithoutChristmas” event, staged in front of the National Congress, where the turnout exceeded expectations.
Walter Villagra, a 54-year-old man living on the streets after losing his job as an electrician, expressed his sadness and loneliness, sharing his reason for attending the gathering. “I came because I feel alone, and it’s sad,” he said.
The event, organized by the Movement of Excluded Workers, took place during a year marked by rising poverty. Mariana Gonzalez, a spokesperson for the movement, reflected on the stark reality: “There are more people on the streets and in soup kitchens than ever before. This year has been particularly tough.”
Tables laden with food were set up on the streets, creating a festive atmosphere with balloons, music, and clowns on stilts. Guests, ranging from individuals to entire families, eagerly applauded as trucks of food arrived. Before dinner, roughly 100 people were treated to showers, haircuts, and shaves, offered in tents set up around the square, making the event a much-needed moment of dignity and joy for many.
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