We are thrilled to share with you that we are gearing up for our 2024 Cuba Solidarity Container. Currently, we’re collecting and purchasing critical supplies that we will be sending to Cuba this spring/summer. Receiving these supplies are our Cuban partners, the National Union of Education, Science and Sports Workers (SNTECD), the National Union of Public Employees (SNTAP), and the Workers’ Central Union of Cuba (CTC).

The six-decade-long illegal blockade imposed by the U.S. against Cuba, the longest-lasting regime of sanctions in modern history, has long denied the Cuban people access to many of the basics of life and work. During Barack Obama's presidency, significant changes occurred in U.S.-Cuba relations. In 2015, the U.S. and Cuba announced a normalization of diplomatic ties, easing decades of hostility, which included the removal of Cuba from the list of State Sponsors of Terrorism (SSOT). When Donald Trump assumed the presidency of the United States in 2017, he ushered in a rollback of the Obama-era thaw in relations with Cuba. In a final blow to normalization, shortly before leaving office in 2021, former President Trump added Cuba to the State Sponsors of Terrorism list, resulting in new sanctions and restrictions against the country. Today, Cuba suffers the worst economic and humanitarian crisis in its contemporary history – a direct result of cruel and inhumane U.S. policy.

CoDev's partners in Cuba are gravely concerned about the worsening economic situation on the island. In recent months, the prices of essential necessities like electricity, gasoline, and liquefied gas for cooking have soared to new heights. Thanks to the ongoing solidarity practiced by trade unions and engaged community members in Canada, our Cuban partners will soon be equipped with some of the urgently-needed medical, hygiene, electronic, automotive, school, and office supplies that they need to live, work, and resist.

1.    Volunteer: We count on our amazing volunteers to help us with important tasks, such as obtaining quotes for supplies, contacting prospective donors, sorting, packing, and labeling boxes, gathering local donations, and transporting boxes to a designated storage facility, among other tasks. Deadlines for volunteer applications are now closed. But if you are interested in volunteering, send an email directly to bweber@codev.org.

2.      Donations: You can donate any amount of funds to our 2024 Cuba Solidarity Container project through Canada Helps by clicking here (Select option number 4). Your donation will help buy urgently needed supplies and help pay shipping costs.

We are also accepting specific donations such as electronic, office, auto, health & care, and food supplies. 

CODEV & CUBA | A long-term partnership in solidarity!

Since 1995, CoDev has allied in struggle with Cuban workers through solidarity partnerships. The Provincial Union of Public Administration Workers in Havana (SPTAPH), a division of the National Union of Public Administration Workers of Cuba (SNTAP), represents 49,000 workers in over 1,600 sites. SNTAP, its national component, was the first union founded by the Revolution and currently represents over 265,000 members – from municipal workers to national government workers, and much more. Also founded in 1961, the National Union of Education, Science and Sports Workers (SNTECD) is a national union representing education, science and sports workers with the primary goal of contributing to the professional development of its over 500,000 members and mobilizing unionized teachers to improve public education, labour legislation, and working conditions.

The videos below are a fragment of the event "Spotlight on Cuba: Solidarity amidst Blockade and Pandemic," in which SNTECD's General Secretary, Niurka Gonzalez and SNTAP's General Secretary, Yaisel Pieter, explain the impact of the U.S. government blockade on Cuba and its educational system and the public administration workers.

For more about this project, please get in touch with Alexandra, CoDev’s Education Program Director, at ahenaoca@codev.org and Nadia, CoDev’s Human & Labour Rights Program Director, at nrevelo@codev.org. 

Thank you for helping us in the mission for social justice and global education in the Americas!