STOCK THE BLOCK | CUBA

Stocking the Block of the Local Community in Cardenas, Cuba

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After the nation-wide protests in Cuba on July 11, 2021, the world was forced to take notice of the hardships the Cuban people have been facing. Living in Cuba this past year (November 14 2020 - July 3 2021) I personally witnessed an increasing amount of daily struggle to meet basic needs. Food shortages on rice, flour, beans, coffee, chicken, cooking oil and milk. Many of these items were sold before by street vendors but now Cubans have to shop for many items on Facebook pages where many staples are being sold for 3-4 times the original cost. Other items such as soap, shampoo, detergent and toothpaste can now only be bought at grocery stores which have become cashless since September 2020. A debit card with foreign currency has to be used to shop there, and prices are in USD, much similar to our costs in Canada and USA. This makes it very difficult for elderly people or someone who doesn't have family or friends outside the island to send them foreign funds. 

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On many of my visits to Cuba I bring with me at least one luggage full of donations which also is assisted by my generous parents. Even if you have money it is very difficult to buy many things there, they don't have the level of access as we do here in North America. Anything you need you just go to a shop or order online here in Canada. Shopping in Cuba is a marathon sport at times, takes a lot of patience and time. With donations of over $4000cad in the last couple years from my parents and their friends, me and my husband Danny have become volunteer Charity Shoppers. We have been able to buy much needed items for people in need as Cardenas has a lot of stores, it is one of the biggest cities in Cuba. Most of these purchases were donated to local Nuns who run small charities in Cardenas and in Manguito (a small nearby town), they directly help provide food, medicine, and household products to the elderly, sick, jobless and families with small children.