Your Love for Cuba

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Video Room

2008-02-29T04:24:00.001-08:00

Iniciative "NO to Social Exclusion"
A short documentary by Manuel Benito de Valle

SORRY. LOOKING FOR HELP FOR TRASLATION AND SUBTITLES. HOWEVER IF YOU CAN ASSURE YOU CAN HAVE THIS VIDEO ISSUED IN ANY TV CHANNEL, EMAIL US AND WE WILL SEND YOU A DVD.

Tourist Info

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Here´s some useful links you may want to check just before yoy travel to Cuba.

Most important is to know that Custom Laws -as well as any Cuban law- allow tourists to take into the country any kind of gifts, medicines, clothes...

Useful links:
- Cuban Customs (tourists)
- Official Currency Exchange (CUC)
- Climate and temperature
- Maps

Gallery 4

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Gallery 3

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Gallery 2

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Gallery 1

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As you prefer to do it...

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When emailing Yusnaimy (cuba@yourloveforcuba.org) you will arrange how to meet in Havana.

If you don´t have much time, she will get to where you´re hosted, pick the things you have brought and deliver them herself.

If you prefer to deliver them yourself, then you two will arrange for a proper day to take them where they are most needed -depending on the things you bring-.

If by any chance you travel to Cuba but not to Havana, we´ll put you in contact with another person of our confidence so he´ll help you take your things to proper hands wherever you are.

As easy as you choose to.

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Useful things you can give...

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From those things that aims to solve their basic needs -clothes, medicines, shoes...- to these others that may give a little humanity and hope in their lives -toys, books for children, cosmetics, pencils, magazines...-.

However we beg you not to bring them things too old or wrecked. They might be needed but we don´t mean to hurt their pride that way or any other. Dignity ocasionally might be the only thing they have left.

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Testimonies and experiences

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Please introduce your experience as a comment or email us and we´ll include your story just as follows:

Manuel (Sevilla, España)- Nov 2007
Estuve repartiendo medicinas, ropa y juguetes en el "Albergue Sexto Congreso" de La Habana. La desconfianza inicial de esta pobre gente, que asentía timidamente para agradecerlo todo, poco a poco se fue convirtiendo en una alegría, tan humilde y sencilla, que te desgarraba el corazón como nunca antes había podido sentir.

Fue una experiencia triste y conmovedora que repetiría tantas veces como pudiese.

Manuel Benito de Valle

2008-02-18T14:43:00.002-08:00

I was so lucky as to live in Cuba for a whole year. And I say lucky, not only because of those wonderful moments I shared with many sincere friends, but for learning so much in terms of humanity.

Aware of the lacks, needs and huge dificulties of most cubans, I encouraged every visit I had to bringing all the useful stuff they could. It was then when we realized how easy is to do a lot for so little.

Of all the days of that unforgettable year, the most wonderful moment was when Yusnaimy -and her husband Dr. Ferrer- took me to a project in Havana. We were saving and putting together for months clothes, medicines and books for children, in order to give them among some of these women and kids who sadly lived in this project.

A kid´s excited eyes upon his first present, some young mother´s shy smile upon a humble dress or a woman´s deep -almost painful- gratitude simply HAS NO PRICE.

I hope from the bottom of my heart this web takes many people to live that moment I once lived.

And God bless you all.

Manuel Benito de Valle

Yusnaimy Jorge Soca

2008-02-18T14:43:00.001-08:00

Yusnaimy is one of the biggest hearts I´ve ever met in my life. Though the hard years she suffered living in a project and the dificulties and lacks she faces everyday, I´ve never seen her enjoying not a single slice of bread before finding someone to share it with.

During the months I lived with her and her family, I watched her practising generosity every single minute of the day, so naturally dedicated to it that I might assure she is not aware of how good she makes to people.

I just can invite you to know her as I did. And by the way, ask her nerbours what kind of a heart she is... I might got short with these words.

Manuel Benito de Valle

Yusnaimy and her housband -Dr. Darsi Ferrer- have been working for years in a humble and independent project of Social assistence which is mainly supported by tourist´s donations. They have a five year old kid, Dariel.

Read her article "A light in the distance"

How to Help

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Main idea
It´s about taking to Cuba as many useful things as possible, from the clothes you don´t wear to the toys your kids won´t play with anymore, medicines, cosmetics, books for children, pencils...

Objective
Relieve the suffer of the helpless in Cuba, put a smile in the face of a project´s kid , give a little hope to these poor forgoten people...

¿How?
Before you travel you get in touch with Yusnaimy Jorge in order to see her in Havana. Therefore you´ll make sure that the things you´re carrying will end in most needed hands -whether handling them yourself or through Yusnamy (as you prefer) -.

And finally...
To keep this chain running, we ask you to write your experience in this web -as we all did- and tell your familiy and friends how easy is to do a lot for a lot of people.

Rigoberto Carceller Ibarra

2008-02-14T03:31:00.001-08:00

I don´t really know how to thank the people who invited me to be part of this idea as a member. Specially Manuel, who is not Cuban and has proved that he loves my country much more than many of my Cuban people. I believe that he welcomed me in as he knows that I created and promoted a similar project -back in 1996- and I can assure you that it worked.

While I directed that project -till summer 2005- I recieved support from more than 50 000 spanish travelers (among other European nacionalities) and sent to Cuba over 30 Tons of medicines, clothes, school-staff, etc... One little package at a time. I also want to thank now the team who joined me at that time and trusted me all over those years.

I guarantee there are thousands of people willing to be solidary. They just need to know how and be sure there won´t be any problem or risk. Therefore I believe it is convenient to say that Cuban Custom Law -like the rest of them- allows foreigners who travel to Cuba to carry medicines and gifts into the country.

And begining with my own comittment, I beg you to publicly share my telephone number in order to answer and help in anything related to this idea. I have always believed that helping people is helping oneself to aim that level of humanity that demands our own being.

All yours and from YOURLOVEFORCUBA.ORG,

Rigoberto Carceller Ibarra.
Tfno: 34 656 47 03 42.

Declaration of Principles

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YOURLOVEFORCUBA.ORG was born under the inspiration and guide of a beatiful idea, shown in the movie: “Pay it forward” . It´ll be this idea our biggest peculiarity and therefore we won´t need to go on any funds or public allowance. We won´t need to maintain expensive office costs, nor doing any management nor politics.

Our only and determined capital will be your thirst of solidarity with the human race... That´be enough and simple.

Today we´ve started with Cuba and who knows if tomorrow we´ll end up with the whole world. Loving people for free is at danger of exctintion, almost crazy, but we can assure you that this idea has been developed by thousands of solidary traverlers andwe actually have with us a few hundreds in different countries like Spain, England, France, Checz Republic, Tomania, USA and Cuba willing to do it.

To keep working, YOURLOVEFORCUBA.ORG counts on a group of people whose only commitment is their own will. We invite you to become one of them. You just let your people know about this chain of solidarity and you´ll see how simple is to put thousands of smiles in a world that is starting of running out of them.

YOURLOVEFORCUBA.ORG will work as a human bridge between people, beyond any religious or politic believes. That´s way our main motto is: NO MORE POLITICS... TELL ME ABOUT YOUR LOVE FOR CUBA!!!!!!!

Finally, this proyect will get completed with the experience and testimonies by the people who has helped in any way. We will work as an automatic clock, no need for battery. We will be all pushing it forward.

THANKS FOR YOUR TIME. ONE MORE IN THE CHAIN.

Who are we?

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.
YOURLOVEFORCUBA.ORG

1- Declaration of principles

2- Members*:
...........- Yusnaimy Jorge
...........- Rigoberto Carceller
...........- Manuel Benito de Valle

*Note: We actually are everyone who has or will be involved in this idea. Those of us who are mentioned just named it.

Photo Gallery

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#Gallery nº1#
Project "Sexto Congreso". Lawton. 10 de Octubre District. City of Havana. November 2007 (10 pics)
#Gallery nº2#
La Güinera. Arroyo Naranjo District. City of Havana (3 pics)
#Gallery nº3#
Project "Sexto Congreso". Lawton. 10 de Octubre District. City of Havana. September 2005 (6 pics)
#Gallery nº4#
"Llega y pon" (ilegal settlement) called "El Diezmero". City of Havana. February 2006 (4 pics)

Contact us

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In Havana
Yusnaimy Jorge
e-mail: cuba@yourloveforcuba.org
Tfno: (53) 5 - 273 27 93
Address: 265 San Bernardino St. between Serrano & Durege
Santos Suárez ("10 de Octubre" Area) City of Havana

In Madrid
Rigoberto Carceller
e-mail: rigoberto@yourloveforcuba.org
Tel: 34 - 656470342

In Seville
Manuel Benito de Valle
e-mail: manuel@yourloveforcuba.org
Tel: 34 - 627333111

A light in the distance

2008-01-31T13:49:00.000-08:00

Por Yusnaimy Jorge Soca.

Es difícil describir las emociones que se experimentan al ayudar a las personas que mal viven en las villas miserias del país, excluidas por el gobierno e ignoradas por la sociedad. Una mezcla confusa de alegría y tristeza domina el alma al compartir pequeños donativos entre los niños, ancianos y adultos desvalidos para aliviar sus necesidades y condiciones infrahumanas.

Esas acciones humanitarias las promovemos desde hace algunos años en el Centro de Salud y Derechos Humanos ¨Juan Bruno Zayas¨, bajo la iniciativa ¨No a la exclusión Social¨. Como alternativa de compartir su dolor y despertar en ellos la esperanza.

Siempre nos reciben con cariño y muestras de agradecimiento pero con desconfianza, por el rechazo en el trato que le dan muchas personas, a excepción de las monjitas que de vez en cuando visitan esos lugares y les llevan algunos regalos.

Miles de cubanos se encuentran hacinados en albergues y "llega y pon". Muchos son niños que deambulan descalzos, mal vestidos, sin juguetes y sin tener donde distraerse sanamente. Pocos padres pueden garantizar las atenciones que necesitan sus hijos.

En estos lugares también es preocupante la frecuencia de enfermedades y otros factores dañinos a la salud como el stress, el abuso del alcohol, la depresión, el alto nivel de suicidio, la violencia y la desesperanza.

Pasé 10 años viviendo en un albergue y es una experiencia traumática. Sufrí debido a las terribles carencias y malas condiciones que tenía, pero también me afectó la sensación de que nada bueno me sucedería nunca, que estás abandonada a tu suerte y, peor aún, por el desprecio manifestado por muchas personas al saber que era una albergada.

No se precisa de grandes recursos para modificar esas vivencias con buenas acciones. Basta un poco de sensibilidad y de algunas cosas que no nos sean imprescindibles. Recuerdo que la primera vez comenzamos por regalar la cuna y las ropas de mi hijo que ya no utilizaba.

Lamento que hasta ahora despierte poco interés este tipo de labores. Hace tiempo no contamos con recursos y agradeceremos a quienes se solidaricen y contribuyan en lo que puedan para aliviar la desesperante situación de los cubanos que viven en estas condiciones extremas.

La Habana, 22 de julio de 2006.