A Cuban known on TikTok as @sheyla.daily shared a video last Friday showcasing the construction process of her new little house in Cuba, building it from an empty lot, which represents a monumental challenge on the island due to the extreme scarcity of materials.
In the video published on TikTok, which lasts a little over a minute, Sheyla documents the initial steps of her project under the hashtags #viviendoencuba, #construyendo, and #cubanosxelmundo. The only phrase transcribed from the clip, "behind the courtyard," confirms that the construction starts from scratch, on an undeveloped lot.
The content is part of a well-established viral trend on TikTok where Cuban women document in real-time the effort of building or renovating their homes on the island, generating immense empathy among their followers.
Among the most recent cases is that of @erikitapinkk, who showcased at the end of April the complete transformation of her house after two years of sacrifices, forgoing family vacations to afford the materials. "He was the one with the capital," she said, referring to her husband.
In March, an anonymous Cuban documented the construction of her little house with a pool in Cuba "little by little and with a lot of sacrifice," from the basic structure to a concrete pool.
That same month, Massiel Trimiño (@massiemtrimio) shared the progress of her remodeling and described the painting phase as "the beautiful stage," assuring that the house "already feels completely different." Her process also caught the attention of thousands on social media.
Other Cuban artists have financed their works with earnings from digital platforms. @briana5254 builds her room in Cuba with TikTok earnings, while @yaneisycanta_98 encourages others: “Grab your phone and entertain the audience.”
In February, a Cuban woman from the south of the island shared a viral tour of her home built "after years of dreaming and never giving up," featuring appliances brought from Tampa. And in December 2025, @claudiamayol revealed the before and after of her home with a message of faith: "Thank God, step by step".
The backdrop of these videos is an unprecedented housing crisis. The housing deficit in Cuba exceeds 805,000 units, projected to rise to 929,000 by this year, as acknowledged by the Ministry of Construction itself in January 2025.
Of the 4.1 million existing homes on the island, only 65% are in good condition. By 2025, the government completed only 22% of its annual construction plan: 2,382 homes out of the 10,795 planned.
Cement production operated in 2024 at 10% of its installed capacity due to energy deficits, making each bag of material a scarce and extremely expensive commodity. Given the state's inability to address the issue, self-construction financed by remittances or digital income has become the only solution for thousands of Cuban families, as reflected in the deficit of housing and scarce materials that documents the everyday reality of the island.
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