The Cuban stylist Dorian Carbonell visited the orphanage in the municipality of Guanabacoa, Havana, and shared an emotional video that describes in detail what he found upon entering the facility.
"I never expected to encounter this in a place for children without parental support, to be honest," Carbonell said at the beginning of the reel, visibly moved.
The stylist emphasized that the home is home to nine minors: "Nine children, nine stories, nine worlds. Children who don’t have the same start as other children, but with a desire to smile. Incredible."
Carbonell brought his team for haircuts, clowns, and activities to brighten the day. The home is located at 110 Santamaría del Rosario Road, in the De Beche neighborhood.
"We brought laughter, haircuts, clowns, but the truth is that they gave us much more," he detailed.
The director of the home, Margarita González Barrios, an educator with over 36 years of experience, expressed her gratitude for the visit.
Carbonell also describes the children with special health conditions he encountered in the home: "There are children with health conditions fighting harder than others. Yet they still look at you with a peace that disarms you."
The stylist reflected on his experience: "Today I understood that there are battles that are not seen but are felt."
In the description of the reel, Carbonell expanded on his thoughts: "Sometimes we think that helping means providing material things… but today I understood that it also means giving time, attention… and a bit of joy."
In 2023, there were 54 homes for children without parental protection in Cuba for over 400 children, with only three new houses built since 2022.
The figures are insufficient. According to data presented to the Cuban Parliament in 2024, there are 100,737 students classified as being in vulnerable situations and 9,006 children ages zero to six in a "complex social situation," reported 14ymedio.
The situation of children on the Island is becoming increasingly vulnerable.
In October 2025, viral images showed children sleeping in the gardens of a hotel in Havana. In response, a Cuban deputy publicly admitted the failures of the system for child care.
The day before the release of Carbonell's video, the Ministry of Education published Resolution 62, which establishes new forms of institutional care for children without family support.
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