A Cuban mother identified as Ayaini Valdes has gone viral on social media by documenting her daily struggle to feed her son through various informal food sales ventures, adapting to whatever is available each day amid the crisis the island is facing.
The woman, who is described on Facebook as "a working mother striving to get ahead," has documented her daily efforts to sell food and earn income, transitioning from making sweets to preparing tamales, empanadas, and chiviricos, depending on the availability of ingredients and the day's conditions.
In a video posted on Saturday, June 14, titled "New venture," Ayaini showcased an improvised outdoor kitchen, featuring cement blocks, a metal grill, a cast iron pot, and a firewood flame.
Above the images was a message that summed up their reality: “I LIVE IN CUBA / FROM SWEET SHOPS TO TAMALE VENDORS.”
The post amassed over 80,700 views, 6,049 reactions, and 248 comments, turning its story into a reflection of the daily struggles of many Cuban families trying to survive through small informal businesses.
Ayaini explained that she used to sell coconut treats, but she had to abandon that venture because the price of sugar tripled.
“Because I have a child to feed, so I can't just sit idly by,” she said in one of her videos, where she introduced her new tamale business, also known in some areas of Cuba as tayuyos.
The day was not easy either. According to what he reported, the rain interrupted the cooking process, and he had to finish the preparation using charcoal, another resource that he also confirmed is "quite expensive."
“Exhausted and soaked, but happy, as the sale went wonderfully. Here in Cuba, with the hunger that exists, anything that is edible sells quickly,” she stated.
In recent posts, the Cuban also shared photos of chiviricos, empanadas, and corn cobs, accompanied by messages of gratitude and hope. In one of them, she wrote: "Thank God, I have work for today."
Its story takes place in a context marked by scarcity, high food prices, power outages, and a lack of basic resources, forcing many families to seek alternatives to generate daily income.
The use of firewood, charcoal, and makeshift stoves is not a trend or a preference, but rather a response to the material conditions faced by thousands of Cuban households.
For Ayaini, each sale represents much more than just income. It is a way to resist, to provide for her child, and to show that, even in the midst of adversity, she is not willing to stand idly by.
The story of this woman reflects a widespread reality in Cuba. The average monthly salary on the island was only 6,506.5 CUP in April 2025, a figure that is insufficient to cover the basic needs of a family.
A Cuban mother showed in April 2025 that she spent 1,080 CUP on food for her baby in just two or three days, buying root vegetables and two pounds of chicken at 300 CUP each.
Scarcity forces constant substitutions: a Cuban explained this month that she substitutes rice with plantains, cassava, and sweet potatoes because the price of rice is at least 250 pesos per pound. And in November 2025, a mother of triplets revealed that she was cooking with firewood inside her apartment due to the lack of gas and electricity.
The outdoor wood-fired kitchen showcased by Ayaini is not an aesthetic choice: it is a forced adaptation to the material conditions of Cuba in 2026. Power outages, lack of water, and shortages of supplies turn each production day into a logistical challenge before it can even be considered a business.
The informal food sales venture —tamales, chiviricos, empanadas, peanuts— has become one of the few viable options because it requires little initial capital and generates cash quickly.
However, the environment is hostile: in December 2025, the government shut down dozens of small and medium-sized enterprises, highlighting the ongoing tension between private initiative and the authorities of the dictatorship.
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