A netizen asked for assistance this Monday to help a father and his two young children, who sell peanuts and collect cans on the streets of Santiago de Cuba.
Yelsira Nápoles reported the situation of this family in the Facebook group “360 Santiago de Cuba Compra y Venta Revolico” and expressed her concern upon seeing the children in need, particularly a six-year-old girl carrying a bag of cans.
"This is tough, but we always have something from our kids that we don’t put in," noted the woman, emphasizing that these people "are very healthy" and truly need any kind of help that can be offered to them.
Nápoles invited those interested in collaborating to contact her at the number 58807465 to make donations, as she offered to act as a liaison for their delivery.
It also provided the family's address at D Street #157, between 5 and 7, in the Desy district, for those who wish to go and offer their help directly.
The severe economic crisis in Cuba has made it increasingly common to see children working on the streets to support their families.
In March, for example, two Cuban children were seen selling sweets to make a living in Havana, despite the regime's historical claims of having eradicated child labor.
The Cuban Institute for Freedom of Expression and the Press (ICLEP) published photographs of a minor selling marquesitas in Havana and another carrying several bags that appear to be bread on his back, amidst a rising inflation rate that keeps thousands of households on the brink of poverty.
Recently, the story of a boy in Camagüey selling tamales to support his family went viral, prompting the Cuban community to rally around and assist the young child.
Independent journalist José Luis Tan Estrada reported on this case on his Facebook profile, highlighting the harsh reality faced by many minors in Cuba, who are caught in an economic crisis that forces them to work from a young age.
Child labor has become so prevalent in recent months that even the official press has had to acknowledge it, reflecting the seriousness and complexity of the current socioeconomic context in Cuba.
An investigation conducted by the newspaper Sierra Maestra revealed cases of primary school students missing classes to work. They arrive late or are absent from school to help their families, something the regime criticized for decades, blaming capitalism and claiming that "this does not happen in the Revolution."
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