A video shared by the activist Noly Blak, known for his work assisting vulnerable individuals in Holguín, has sparked outrage on social media after it was revealed that a mother is using a baby to beg for money on the streets of that eastern city.
Blak explained that there are many people urging him to help a woman who appears in a viral photo asking for donations with a baby in her arms. She is often seen sitting on the ground in a central location in Holguín. However, the activist stated that he knows this case all too well.
Before getting involved in any donation, Noly investigates the environment and the actual conditions of the people who will benefit, to avoid falling victim to manipulations or deceit.
On this occasion, he recounted that the woman begs for alms with her small child, while her husband and brother, "well-dressed," watch her closely, waiting for the money that passersby give, moved by the scene.
"Everyone has helped that woman, but since they are from Báguano, they don't know her well. What she does is put her son under the sun and exposed in the streets. Then she asks for him to be admitted to a hospital, and even when the doctors refuse, she insists. She leaves the child dirty and under the sun for hours, exposed to diseases," the activist pointed out.
"I don't harm anyone, but I don't like shamelessness."
Noly Blak claims that this is a case that has received a great deal of support in Holguín, and other individuals have confirmed her statements. The publication has sparked a heated debate about the limits of solidarity and the improper exploitation of children's vulnerabilities for personal gain.
In the comments of the video, a child educator from Holguín recalled that this same woman had received support previously. "That mother who is now wandering the streets of Holguín looking for things, already received help in Báguano. She was given a house and even a spot in a daycare for her older daughter. So, what more is she looking for now?"
Blak's complaint comes just days after another case that highlighted the supportive dimension of his project. Over three million Cuban pesos were raised for a young mother from Cacocum, in Holguín, who lost everything after the passage of Hurricane Melissa.
The beneficiary, a mother of four children, moved thousands of people when Blak interviewed her and she said, “I don’t want anything, all I want is food for the children.” Her home in the community of Peralta was destroyed by the floods, and the state did not provide any assistance.
The fundraising, organized entirely by citizens both within and outside of Cuba, sparked a flood of messages expressing gratitude and concern for the young mother's safety, given the magnitude of the money raised.
The work of Noly Blak and other independent activists has filled the void left by state institutions, driving citizen campaigns that showcase the strength of Cuban solidarity in the face of official indifference.
In contrast, cases like that of the woman who uses her child to beg on the streets highlight the ethical dilemmas faced by a society where extreme poverty and desperation intertwine with a loss of values and the manipulation of others' suffering.
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