English

We are an NGO that contributes to the development of disadvantaged children through the celebration of their birthdays. The goal is that each boy and girl feel loved and important through the celebration of their birth.

Currently, due to Covid-19, we have reinvented ourselves from a group celebration format to one of individual celebrations in the safety of the home. For this we assemble and deliver “magic birthday boxes” that contain: an individual cake with a candle to wish on, a gift that stimulates creativity and play; garlands, balloons, and party favors to add color to the party; candy and treats to share with the family; a birthday letter with a personalized message, and more! 

We partner with different neighborhood soup kitchens, individuals, and companies. We visit each soup kitchen once a month to deliver our “magic birthday boxes” to the children who eat their meals there. The project is supported 100% by financial donations from individuals and products provided by companies.

Celebrating a birthday has a deep impact on children in vulnerable situations. For them, it is a moment of recognition, support, love, and contentment which is essential and yet rare in their lives.

According to the Observatory of Social Debt in Argentina (ODSA), the birthday celebration is an indicator of development in childhood. It is an essential intellectual and emotional stimulus in the healthy development of children. If they do not receive it, they enter adult life at a disadvantage.

Festejo itself was born in 2017 from the birthday of one of its founders. Since then, we have celebrated the lives of more than 10,000 low-income children in Buenos Aires city and north province.

What we do is very special. We work hard so that each delivery of a “Magic Birthday Box” is a celebration in itself. We give all our love and all our attention to each birthday child, particularly making them feel important, unique, loved, and capable. These are feelings of incalculable value that profoundly impact the self-perception of each child. The purity and authenticity of their reactions of gratitude and joy reinforce our intentions and provide motivation for our actions.

Children are the future. We like and are excited to think that what we do contributes to creating a future with better people, because these kids who received all this love, all this joy and support, will be able to replicate it when they are older. When we all celebrate our special day, we all have a better future!