A support campaign for an elderly woman from the town of Juan Vicente, in the municipality of Mayarí, province of Holguín, has gone viral on social media following the release of a video showcasing the condition of her home after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The video was shared in the Facebook group Rebolico Mayari by the user Elchaco Romero, a young man from Holguín residing in the United States, who wrote that he wanted to “create a little brigade to help this elderly woman” whose “house was destroyed by the cyclone in Juan Vicente” and was asking for contributions “to buy zinc, beams, boards to build her a house, and to buy her some pots.”
In the images, Pilar, an elderly woman, is seen among the ruins of her destroyed home. While she talks with two young visitors, the elderly woman cannot hold back her tears, saying, “Where am I going to live, dear, where? I spend the whole day crying, seeing the conditions I am in, seeing my little house.”
One of the young women hands her a cash donation "from Leo and the grandchildren of Gladys Zapata," explaining that it is "for you to buy food, my daughter, at least, you know? Buy food so you can eat, and if you need medication." Pilar replies tearfully: "I didn’t buy anything today, I couldn’t buy lunch. I see my little house like this, I can’t sleep."
The video has generated hundreds of comments expressing support, indignation, and offers of help. Many users expressed their desire to contribute money or construction materials, while others highlighted the institutional neglect of the elderly in rural areas and called for authorities to intervene and provide safe shelter.
In the midst of the wave of solidarity, Elchaco Romero himself noted in the comments that he is organizing a list of donors and will share the process of purchasing materials to build Pilar's little house.
The case of Pilar, which has moved hundreds of Cubans both on and off the island, highlights a reality that contrasts with the official narrative of the ruler Miguel Díaz-Canel, who claimed that “no one will be left to fend for themselves” during the recovery phase after Hurricane Melissa. In a post shared on his social media, Díaz-Canel stated that “more than 120,000 Cubans remain protected” and that “resources for housing have begun to be distributed,” with a preliminary total of “45,282 affected.”
However, cases like that of Pilar, who lost her home and claims that “she doesn’t sleep at night” due to the conditions she is left in, reflect the critical situation of many victims in rural areas of Holguín and other provinces in eastern Cuba.
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