Help is sought for a 12-year-old Cuban girl and her grandmother in the U.S.: This is their dramatic situation

Supportive Cubans are seeking help for Gillian Rodríguez, a 12-year-old girl, and her grandmother Georgina Sao, who arrived in the United States in November 2023 after a painful family story in Cuba.

Both are going through a heartbreaking moment since their arrival in Palm Beach, Florida, where they are trying to rebuild their lives after the death of Yenisley Perdomo, daughter of Georgina and mother of Gillian, who was a prominent animal rights activist on the Island.

Yeni, as those who knew her affectionately called her, passed away in 2023, just days after obtaining a humanitarian visa that would allow her to receive treatment in the United States, a help that, sadly, arrived too late.

Her death left her mother with a new responsibility: to care for her granddaughter alone, in a foreign country, without resources or support networks.

Both managed to leave Cuba after many legal hurdles and anxieties. However, although Georgina—who had been living in the United States for years—finally succeeded in bringing her granddaughter out, the current situation for both of them is just as difficult as the one they left behind.

According to a report on Facebook, BAC-Habana, an animal rescue and care organization, is living in a borrowed room, with few belongings and no stable income. They also lack access to adequate medical services to address the trauma surrounding them.

Little Gillian, engulfed in a deep depression, has been admitted twice to child mental health units. The girl has expressed suicidal thoughts, engages in self-harm, and shows apathy towards life. "Mom is no longer here," she repeats over and over, with a vacant stare. She doesn't want to eat, can't sleep, and struggles to concentrate in school.

Georgina, 55 years old, feels emotionally overwhelmed. The bank card she uses for basic expenses is almost at zero. What little she has is not enough for therapy, for school snacks, or even for transportation. They also lack the resources to cover basic needs such as clothing or a bed for her daughter.

In light of this situation, the organization BAC-Habana, which was once a haven for Yeni's struggle, issued an urgent call for solidarity and is requesting assistance for Gillian and Georgina.

Not only in the form of financial donations, but also in food, clothing, school supplies, medications, and especially medical and psychological care.

The message is clear: saving those whom Yeni left behind is a way to honor the legacy of compassion that she cultivated throughout her life. Yeni dedicated her existence to protecting those without a voice. Now, it is her daughter who needs others to speak up for her.

"Can you help them?"

– Contribute what you can via Zelle or PayPal.

- Donates clothing, food, medications, and school supplies.

– Share this message. Get it to those who can donate.

- If you are a psychologist, doctor, or social worker, offer your help.

- If you can't do any of that, at least write to her. Let her know she’s not alone.

WhatsApp of Georgina Sao: +15614535429

"She has Zelle active. Every dollar, every jar of food, every empty backpack you fill can be what changes the course of this story," the post details.

"Do it for Gillian. Do it for Georgina. Do it for Yeni," closes the organization's message, appealing to the same spirit of solidarity that has inspired its founder for years.

On October 25, 2023, Yenisley Perdomo "Yeni," who had been battling cancer for over a year, passed away in Havana, just days after receiving a humanitarian visa to seek treatment abroad, as she was not receiving any care in Cuba.

Yeni, 37 years old, who had breast cancer with bone and liver metastasis, was about to fly abroad when she unfortunately succumbed to the disease, leaving her daughter orphaned and her mother devastated.

His mother had been trying for some time to obtain a humanitarian visa for him, and she even sent a message to Cuban-American Congress members María Elvira Salazar and Marco Rubio asking for their assistance in getting her daughter treated in the United States.

"In her last admission, they almost killed her; her health deteriorates day by day," she emphasized then.

Gina had been denouncing the poor medical services, the lack of supplies in hospitals, and the precariousness of healthcare in Cuba for some time.

A month after the death, the woman had to stand her ground at Havana airport and declared that she would stay there until the Castro regime allowed her to take her granddaughter out of the country.

To the pain of losing her daughter was added the fact that the government tried to prevent her from taking the girl to the United States.

Grandmother and granddaughter went to José Martí International Airport, but they were not allowed to fly. The authorities claimed that she does not have legal custody of the minor, despite the fact that the father, imprisoned, had granted permission for her definitive departure through a notarized power of attorney.

"It’s devastating what we’re going through. My little girl is very anxious because of everything she has suffered, and these people won’t let us leave. I’m stuck here at the airport; I can’t go anywhere, I have nowhere to go," the woman said through tears.

Finally, the following day, they managed to leave the country.

"Gina Sao and her granddaughter are about to board the plane after a change of airline. I'm very glad that everything has been resolved," revealed the profile Armando Caos on Facebook.

Frequently asked questions about the situation of Gillian Rodríguez and her grandmother in the U.S.