A 16-year-old Cuban girl named Adita became a trend this week after posting a video on TikTok where she shares how she left school in ninth grade to start her own manicure business and financially support her family in Cuba.
"I'm 16 years old and I live in Cuba, and today I can say that I have my own business," says the young woman at the beginning of the clip, posted last Wednesday under the username @adis_nails15.
"Nobody hides the fact that here in Cuba, starting a business or simply having something is practically a sacrifice," Adita acknowledges in the video, which has garnered over 530,000 views and 32,200 likes in just a few days.
The young woman explains that she made the decision to leave her studies driven by both passion and necessity: "I left school in ninth grade to pursue this passion. Not only that, but also to earn my own money and help my mom a little more at home."
Adita describes a daily reality that many Cuban families recognize: "In the situations we are facing today, there are people who do not even have a plate of food to have for lunch."
In light of that situation, the young woman reflects on what she has achieved alongside her mother and sister: "Today, I can thank God that we at least have a plate of food or something. Thanks to my effort, my sister's effort, and my mom's effort."
Far from presenting her departure from the school system as a failure, Adita views it as a conscious choice: "I left school not to laze around, but to have a dignified job that everyone values."
The testimony of this teenager reflects a documented trend on the island. In April, Cuban teenagers left school to work as masonry assistants or to gather firewood, and another minor stated: "I can't study; I have to find firewood."
The Minister of Labor and Social Security of Cuba herself acknowledged at the beginning of 2025 that many young people are dropping out of school to join the workforce, amidst a context where the economic crisis, blackouts, and food shortages have eroded the living conditions of millions of families.
The beauty sector has become one of the few accessible options for young people without capital or university education. A Cuban manicurist gained popularity on Instagram in December 2025 for designs that lasted more than 30 days, with services ranging from two to three dollars per appointment.
Cuba allows more than 2,000 activities for self-employment, although the sector faces bureaucratic restrictions and the fuel crisis affects 96% of small and medium-sized enterprises. By 2018, a third of nearly 568,000 self-employed individuals registered on the island were young people.
Adita ends her video with a statement that summarizes her stance: “I don’t regret leaving school; on the contrary, I am proud of myself for everything I have achieved at just 16 years old.”
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