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A mother residing in Cárdenas, Matanzas, with four small children and a baby just three months old, made an urgent call for help on social media this Tuesday, stating that her household does not have enough to eat.
The case was shared by Kiryat Poey on Facebook, who posted about the situation of the family living on 13A Street between 22 and 23, number 1077, in Cárdenas, and included contact details and donation options to mobilize immediate assistance both on and off the island.
"Today I come not with stories. Today I come with a painful truth. A mother. Four children... and a baby just 3 months old. Five lives living in the same space where often there isn’t even enough for the basics," Poey wrote in his post.
The children of this mother are three months old, two years old, four years old, and five years old. According to the post, the day in that household "does not start with plans… it starts with the worry of what they are going to eat."
"This is happening here, in Cárdenas. It's not far. It's not in another country. It's next door," emphasized Poey, who stated that the woman wrote to him directly and that he could not ignore her situation.
Those who wish to help from Cuba can do so through the Cuban pesos card number 9224 0699 9633 0177, or by contacting the phone number 53610385. From abroad, donations are accepted via Zelle at +1 (786) 992-5095 (Christian Arbolaez) or at +1 (313) 702-1922 (Kiryat Silva), and through PayPal at the address kirycred83@mail.com.
The situation is set against a backdrop of a historically significant food crisis. The latest report from the Food Monitoring Program, published on April 15, identifies Matanzas as one of the five Cuban provinces facing critical levels of food insecurity, alongside Havana, Cienfuegos, Guantánamo, and Santiago de Cuba.
Nationally, 96.91% of Cubans have lost access to food due to inflation, according to data from August 2025, and one in four people goes to bed without dinner. To ensure a minimal monthly diet, an adult needs 41,735 Cuban pesos, equivalent to twenty minimum wages.
Cuba's agricultural production has collapsed: root vegetables fell by 44%, eggs by 43%, milk by 37.6%, and beans by 29.5%, according to the Statistical Yearbook of Cuba 2023. The country imports between 70% and 80% of its food, a situation that is worsened by the decline in exports and the scarcity of foreign currency.
In Cárdenas, the crisis is felt with particular severity. In November 2025, long lines of retirees were documented collecting pensions of only 4,000 pesos Cuban, roughly nine dollars, which are insufficient in the face of hyperinflation.
This is not an isolated case. On April 13, the YA Project shared on Instagram the case of Sarabi Pedro Tovega, a 26-year-old single mother with five children, including 20-day-old twins, who cooks with charcoal due to power outages. On April 15, Cubans rallied on social media to help a mother and her daughter in Holguín living with a broken roof and unstable electricity. On April 1, the case of a woman in San Germán who went up to three days without food alongside her son with a mental illness was reported.
In the face of the collapse of the state social protection system, social networks have become the main channel for civic solidarity. "There’s no need for analysis here… What’s needed is action. Those who can help, should help. Those who can’t, should share. Because many times, a simple action from you… can mean a meal for those children today," concluded Kiryat Poey in his post.
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