Jesuit priest José Balista introduced Argentina to Emmaus in 1952. The longest-established group in the country, Emmaus Buenos Aires now works across six sites. At each site, there is a second-hand goods shop, which is the group's main area of activity. 32 people work at these shops.
As well as selling second-hand goods which have been repaired and restored, the Buenos Aires community donates goods to families in extreme poverty as well as to local schools and hospitals. At the group's main site, on Sarandí street in Buenos Aires, nursing services are provided to about 16 people every day, particularly to vulnerable elderly people and the least privileged.
As for other areas of activity, nearly 50 people who had been convicted of minor crimes have been able to carry out their sentences working with Buenos Aires, thanks to the Argentine probation system. Finally, at the Cochabamba site, children from underprivileged families can receive learning support and attend arts and crafts workshops.
