A young Cuban woman identified as @laurenloti_vlogs took to the streets of Cuba to deliver food and essential items to vulnerable elderly people, using the money her followers had sent her as solidarity donations through TikTok.
In the video published last Thursday, the creator recounts that they got up early and went out "not knowing exactly who we would find, but knowing that many people needed us." What they found in the streets was heartbreaking: "elderly people walking the streets nearly devoid of strength."
The young woman and her companions handed out food and utensils to eat with, along with other basic items. "We received so much help from you all that today we went out to share, because blessings multiply when they are given," she explained in the video.
At the end of the clip, the creator made a promise to her community: she will continue to carry out these kinds of actions, even if she doesn't always document them publicly. "The most beautiful help is the one that no one sees," she said. She concluded with a direct message to her followers: "Every like, every comment, every bit of help you sent us today reached these hands."
This action is not an isolated case. Just three days prior, another young Cuban fulfilled her grandfather's dream by purchasing a workshop tool for 20,000 Cuban pesos —around 40 dollars— also with money raised from followers on TikTok.
Other Cuban creators have been engaging in similar gestures for months. A young Cuban bathed, dressed, and took an elderly person with a disability out to eat thanks to the support of his digital community. And a TikToker known as @anita.cubanita64 distributes food to the elderly on the streets of Matanzas, entirely funded by her followers on social media.
The phenomenon reflects a reality that the regime itself has acknowledged: Cuba does not have the resources to care for its vulnerable people, as the official press admitted in March. Elderly care centers survive thanks to private donations in the absence of state funding.
The context exacerbates the situation. Cuba is the most aged country in Latin America, with 25.7% of its population over 60 years old, according to the National Office of Statistics and Information. The massive emigration of young people—one of the largest exoduses in the recent history of the island—has left thousands of elderly individuals living alone, without family support and resources. The economy has experienced a contraction exceeding 15% of GDP since 2020.
In this gap of assistance, TikTok has become an informal channel of solidarity. The platform allows creators to receive virtual gifts during their live broadcasts, which are converted into real money. That money, in the hands of young people like @laurenloti_vlogs, ultimately reaches those who need it most. In 2025, an elderly Cuban was able to pay for her house thanks to funds raised on TikTok, and this year a viral campaign gifted a house to a mother and her daughter who were living in precarious conditions.
"It was very beautiful to see the gratitude of the people," said @laurenloti_vlogs at the end of her video. "Thank you so much, because this was possible thanks to you."
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