A Cuban mother and her three children, who lived in a cardboard structure without electricity or a postal address in a settlement behind the Loma de la Cruz in Holguín, received a concrete house thanks to a donation campaign coordinated by content creator Melissa, known on Instagram as @melissahabla_.
The case had been documented last July, when Melissa published a video that showed the extreme poverty conditions in which the family lived: the children, aged thirteen, nine, and seven, described their daily life with phrases like "there's never any electricity" and "sometimes there's nothing" when asked what they ate. The eldest walked more than two kilometers daily to gather squash to feed his siblings. The mother received no help from the government and did not have a food voucher.
"Finally, it was accomplished," wrote the creator upon publishing the video of the new home handover. "A family that will be able to live with dignity from this moment on. All thanks to you," the young woman expressed her gratitude.
The video captures the moment when Melissa takes the family to their new home. Throughout the journey, the children kept asking, "Is this it? Is this the one? Which one is it? Where is it?"
Upon arriving, they were left speechless. One of the children, Abdiel, summed up what it meant for them: "I have never had a concrete house, and wow..."
"The little house doesn't have anything out of this world or luxurious, but as Abdiel said, they had never had a cement house," Melissa narrated in the video.
The home features windows, a fan, and a kitchen equipped with dishes and cups. Each child also received a personalized backpack with their name, toys, sweets, and a phone. The mother, visibly moved, thanked those who made the change possible: "We are very grateful for everything. God bless you, and may you continue to be blessed always."
The post sparked numerous reactions of joy and gratitude among users on Instagram, who highlighted both the outcome of the initiative and the happiness of the children. "The things that can be achieved when many come together," "The eyes of those children are priceless," and "The little house is very lovely. God bless you all," were some of the comments that accompanied the video.
Other internet users directly praised Melissa's efforts and her ability to mobilize aid for needy families in Cuba. "Your work on social media is excellent, and your heart is huge," one person wrote, while another thanked her "for being a voice and hope for these people." There were also those who called for similar initiatives to multiply and highlighted the impact that solidarity can have when a community comes together to help.
This is not the first case that Melissa has resolved with citizen donations. In April 2026, she delivered a house to three vulnerable elderly people in Holguín, fully funded by contributions from individuals. Weeks later, another home was provided to a couple of homeless elderly people in the same province, and in May she raised 234,000 Cuban pesos for a mother and her daughter who were living in similar conditions.
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