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"The people raise the people." With that phrase, the Cuban communicator Yosmany Mayeta launched a humanitarian aid campaign for those affected by Hurricane Melissa in Santiago de Cuba.
From the United States, Mayeta coordinates donations and supports community leaders who deliver resources directly to affected families, without mediation from the state or official institutions.
Their group on Facebook, El Pueblo Levanta al Pueblo (Direct Assistance, Hurricane Melissa, Stgo de Cuba), brings together hundreds of people both within and outside the country who are looking to send aid to those who lost everything after the hurricane's impact.
"If the people do not save themselves, no one will come to save them for us," wrote Mayeta when announcing the start of the campaign.
The initiative is joined by other civic efforts, such as that of the Estrella de Belén Cuba Ministry, based in Las Tunas, which prepared and delivered assistance directly to 329 evacuees from Río Cauto, in Granma province.
“It is very great and sad the reality that is being experienced. Some have lost everything, while others only have the clothes they were wearing,” emphasized Yaiset Rodríguez Fernández on , while inviting those who wish to help to get in touch with her organization.
In Holguín, Karla Alejandra Estrada is also promoting a donation collection from the group Facebook Revolico Holguín Aquí No Se Venden Papas.
His message is clear: “Any help at this time is a great help. We can all contribute a little,” he wrote, leaving his address and contact number for those who want to join in.
In addition, Estrada himself stated that "the donations are in good hands, and even if we have to cross rivers and mountains, we will deliver them to their destinations."
These campaigns, born from the citizens, reflect the strength of Cuban civil society, which organizes itself to respond to an emergency without waiting for the authorities.
In the aftermath of the destruction caused by Hurricane Melissa, it is the Cubans themselves who, once again, reach out to each other to rebuild.
Citizen solidarity efforts have gained momentum in various areas of Cuba. In Las Tunas, rickshaw drivers volunteered to transport affected families from Granma, aiding their arrival at evacuation centers and thus supporting humanitarian efforts during the crisis.
Also in Havana, the initiative "Huellas" launched a donation collection campaign aimed at providing clothing, food, and other essential items to those affected by Hurricane Melissa.
The network, managed by citizens, has brought together collaborators who share resources and transportation to deliver aid to the hardest-hit areas.
Another deeply human gesture took place when a young girl was able to celebrate her fifteenth birthday in an evacuation center thanks to the collaborative effort of local entrepreneurs and residents.
The event transformed an emergency space into a day of joy for the teenager, who had been displaced by the hurricane from Río Cauto to Las Tunas.
These examples demonstrate that, in the face of institutional neglect and the extent of the damages, it is the Cubans themselves who rise up, organize, and support each other, without waiting for state structures.
Solidarity has become the most immediate and effective response to assist those affected.
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