The Cuban singer Mawell surprised a teenager between 13 and 14 years old who was washing cars outside the restaurant El Chucha in Miramar, Havana, and gave him 40 dollars, equivalent to more than 22,000 Cuban pesos.
The artist shared the event in a video posted on Facebook on April 5, which has gathered over 1.6 million views.
Mawell arrived at the venue to celebrate his daughter's birthday when the boy approached him and offered to wash his car, and then he decided to help him.
"That little kid you see there is a boy, he's 13 years old, 14 years old. Right now he told me when I arrived to wash the car, but I had actually washed the car before coming here for my daughter's birthday here at El Chucha," explained the singer in the video.
"At his young age, he's washing cars. And I have a surprise for him," she said, showing the bills.
The boy explained that he does this work to help his mom. That day, he had only washed four cars, at 500 pesos each.
"These are things I do from time to time, and I always encourage all artists to do the same whenever they see a child working. Children shouldn't have to work," he stated.
The 40 dollars represent a considerable amount in Cuba, where the exchange rate hovered around 510-515 pesos per dollar during that time, making the gesture a significant economic relief for the young man.
This is not the first time Mawell has demonstrated an act of generosity towards Cuban children. Recently, he also gifted a toy motorcycle worth 140 dollars to a three-year-old, in another gesture that touched his followers.
This kind of gesture has become a constant for the singer. On another occasion, he gifted 1,000 pesos to a child selling candies, and at another time he stated: "I am a father above all and a human being as well", making it clear that his motivation goes beyond public image.
The reality surrounding these children is reflected in the statistics: 9% of the Cuban child population experiences food insecurity, a situation that drives many minors to work in the streets to help support their families.
Mawell is one of the most popular Cuban artists on digital platforms, with a music career that surpasses 130 million streams. Like many independent musicians from the Island, he and his colleagues do not have access to radio or television, which makes their reach on social media even more remarkable.
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