November 19, 2025 — Belly of the Beast
Hurricane Melissa damaged over 90,000 homes and hundreds of health clinics, according the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.
The state has transported hundreds of tons of food to eastern Cuba and sent thousands of engineers to affected areas to restore electricity and water.
Dozens of countries, as well as international organizations like World Central Kitchen and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, have made donations.
But with so many in need, Cubans throughout the country have also stepped up to support each other. The island’s grueling economic crisis makes this solidarity all the more striking.
“The moment we heard a hurricane was coming, we started thinking about how we were going to help,” one donor said. “The least we can do is share what we have.”
Watch our video about how Cubans and the state are working to rebuild together.
