A 20-year-old Cuban youth touched thousands on social media after posting a simple job request in Havana. Alongside a photograph of him holding his three-month-old baby, he briefly explained the urgency that prompted him to seek help: he needs to work to support his child.
Yadian Ernesto Montalvo posted his message last Sunday in the Facebook group "Empleos Habana Cuba", where he requested any job opportunity that would allow him to earn an income.
"Good morning, I am looking for any type of work. I am 20 years old and have a three-month-old baby to feed. Thank you very much. Please write to 51000411," she wrote.
The photograph that accompanied the request reinforced the impact of the message. It shows the young man standing with his baby in his arms, on a dilapidated street in Havana, with old buildings in the background.
The post triggered a wave of reactions and messages of solidarity in the group, which has over 22,800 members. Many users shared contacts and job groups on WhatsApp and Telegram, while others suggested possible alternatives for making a living.
Among the mentioned options were jobs such as shoe sales manager, solar panel installer, and power plant worker, as well as positions like dockworker in private businesses.
Beyond the specific offers, much of the commentary focused on acknowledging the young father's willingness to seek work and take on the responsibility of supporting his child amidst the challenging economic conditions faced by many Cuban families.
"What a beautiful thing it is when I see a man striving to work to provide for and support his family; I wish everyone were like him, take note," commented a user.
Others saw behind the photograph and the job application a reflection of a much broader reality: the lack of opportunities that drives numerous young Cubans to turn to social media in search of a means of survival.
"These are the parts that the rulers of this country do not respect. I am sure that if he were given the opportunity to leave, he would do so without looking back," noted an internet user.
Messages also emerged showing that Yadian is far from being the only one experiencing this situation.
"How long will this suffering last... My God," lamented a woman.
"I hope you find it; I’m in the same situation, unemployed and with my daughter alone," wrote another user identified as María Valdés.
Even another father, 32 years old and a resident of Old Havana, took advantage of the publicity from the post to seek job opportunities.
Young Cubans seeking work on social media
Yadian's request adds to other instances of young people who have publicly turned to social media to seek employment in Cuba.
In September 2024, a 17-year-old girl from Holguín sought help to find a job that she could balance with her studies. In 2025, cases also emerged of a teenager from Camagüey who sought employment through a video and a young man from the Cerro municipality who went viral after offering his messenger services throughout Havana.
Behind those stories lies a particularly sensitive issue among the new generations.
According to data from the National Office of Statistics and Information (ONEI) cited by IPS, 47.3% of unemployed individuals in Cuba are between the ages of 15 and 34.
A study by Observa Cuba estimated the unemployment rate among young people aged 18 to 30 at 17.2%. When including those who remain outside the labor market for other reasons, the labor disconnection rate would rise to 27.5%.
The difficulties are not limited to Havana. In Sancti Spíritus, data released in June indicated that approximately 45% of the working-age population was unemployed.
This is compounded by another phenomenon that the Cuban authorities themselves have acknowledged for years: hundreds of thousands of young people are disconnected from both education and employment. Official figures previously released indicated that there are at least 800,000 young people in that situation.
Meanwhile, the Cuban government has promoted measures such as the , related to the relocation of workers and the management of job vacancies, as well as modifications to labor legislation that consider modalities such as telecommuting.
However, official statistics hardly alone reflect the extent of job insecurity in a country where a portion of the population earns their income through informal activities, and where having a job does not necessarily guarantee meeting a family's basic needs.
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