An online user called for support this Monday to help a father and his two young children, who are selling peanuts and collecting cans on the streets of Santiago de Cuba. Yelsira Nápoles shared the plight of this family on the Facebook group "360 Santiago de Cuba Compra y Venta Revolico," expressing her concern about seeing the children in such dire conditions, particularly a six-year-old girl carrying a sack of cans.
"Times are tough, but we always have something from our children that we don't use," Nápoles pointed out, emphasizing that these individuals "are very decent" and genuinely need any form of assistance people can offer.
Nápoles encouraged those willing to help to contact her at 58807465 to facilitate donations, as she has offered to act as an intermediary for delivering them. She also provided the family's address at Calle D #157, between 5 and 7, in the Desy neighborhood, for those who prefer to offer their support directly.
Rising Child Labor Amid Economic Crisis
The severe economic crisis in Cuba has increasingly forced children to work on the streets to support their families. Just last March, two Cuban children were seen selling sweets to earn a living in Havana, despite the regime's long-standing claims of having eradicated child labor.
The Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and Press (ICLEP) published photos showing a minor selling marquesitas in Havana and another carrying several bags, likely filled with bread, against the backdrop of rising inflation that has pushed countless households to the brink of poverty.
Community Mobilization and Growing Awareness
Recently, a story about a child in Camagüey selling tamales to support his family went viral, quickly mobilizing the Cuban community to assist the young boy. Independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada highlighted this case on his Facebook profile, underscoring the harsh reality many children in Cuba face, being compelled to work from a young age due to the economic crisis.
Child labor has become so widespread in recent months that even the state-run media have had to acknowledge it, reflecting the severe and complex socio-economic situation in Cuba today. An investigation by the newspaper Sierra Maestra uncovered instances of primary school students skipping classes to work, arriving late, or being absent to help their families—something the regime had long criticized capitalism for, claiming "this doesn't happen in the Revolution."