A Santiago activist has called for solidarity, highlighting the harsh reality faced by elderly individuals who wander the streets in extreme poverty, surviving in neglect.
Yasser Sosa Tamayo shared a gallery of images on Facebook this Thursday that reveals the harsh reality of abandoned elderly individuals, without homes or pensions, accompanied only by the faded memories of lives that once had meaning.
The activist described how these beggars sleep in hallways or bus stops, wearing tattered clothes, suffering from untreated illnesses, and surviving on alms, facing hunger, cold, and invisibility amid indifference.
"Perhaps he was a professional, an internationalist, someone who did a lot for a country that now leaves him sitting on the brink of oblivion," reflects the author of the complaint, recalling that there are many elderly individuals who have been consigned to neglect throughout the island.
Nonetheless, the images reveal that while some of these elderly individuals live in beggary, others, despite having a home and family, face a situation of extreme hardship and also need assistance.
In his post, Sosa expressed gratitude for the solidarity of those who have already helped and encouraged more people to join in, emphasizing that every gesture can transform the lives of these vulnerable elderly individuals.
He indicated that those interested in collaborating can contact him at the provided number: +5351239208.
Recently, the activist reported on social media finding a child searching for food in a garbage bin on a corner in Santiago de Cuba.
Sosa stated on her Facebook profile that the boy, apparently with mental health issues, lived in Micro 8 with his father, who suffers from alcoholism.
On another occasion, the young man from Santiago distributed snacks to the neediest people in the city, demonstrating his compassion.
Begging in Cuba is a reality that the government can no longer hide as it did in the past. The figures from one year to the next show significant increases in extreme poverty on the island.
According to the Ministry of Labor and Social Security, 3,690 homeless individuals have been reported in Cuba between 2014 and 2023, as noted in a report by the state-run newspaper Trabajadores.
In June, the regime of Miguel Díaz-Canel approved a plan to remove beggars from the streets, delegating the responsibility for their care and management to the Municipal Administration Councils.
Filed under: