Relief efforts in Cuba
Fuel shortages and natural disasters have disrupted services
In 2026, fuel shortages and an aging electrical grid are limiting the country’s ability to generate power. Approximately 70% of the population is without power at any given time and the impact is particularly severe in rural communities.
Fuel and electricity shortages have also disrupted health services and water systems, leaving many people without reliable access to clean water. At the same time, an economic downturn has made food, medicine, and hygiene supplies difficult for many families to afford.
These conditions have exacerbated Cuba’s existing challenges. In 2025, Hurricane Melissa caused widespread damage to homes, health facilities, and infrastructure. Many are still recovering and in need of aid.
CARE is working with local partners to distribute emergency food, general and menstrual hygiene supplies, essential medicines, and household items. CARE and Alongside Hope are planning to deliver emergency food aid to 3,000 people across 15 severely food-insecure communities in eastern Cuba.
CARE is working to improve emergency preparedness and access to water and food
CARE and its partners are also working to improve water systems and provide long-term access to safe drinking water. In 2026, CARE worked to install a solar-powered system that allows an existing water pumping station to operate continuously despite frequent power outages. In the community of El Batey, the project now provides clean, chlorinated running water to 62 households — around 140 people — while enabling nine nearby farms to irrigate their crops.
Across Western Cuba, CARE is working with communities and local authorities to strengthen preparedness before hurricanes strike. The program supports emergency planning and community early warning systems. It also helps identify residents living with disabilities so they can be fully included in emergency planning and evacuation efforts.
In Matanzas Province, CARE’s She Produces Too initiative is helping 80 women farmers strengthen local food production. Through tailored support — including solar-powered irrigation, tools, seeds, and technical training — many participants have quadrupled their production, increasing the supply of locally grown food while strengthening the livelihoods of women and their communities.
Over 110,000 people were assisted through CARE programs in 2025, more than half of whom were women and girls. CARE is continuing its work on programs to prioritize women and girls’ health, education, and economic empowerment.
Humanitarian needs in Cuba
Cuba faces deep-rooted social and economic challenges linked to urbanization, poverty, and inequalities between women and men. Migration from rural to urban areas has increased pressure on housing, health, and social services, often resulting in overcrowding, intergenerational households, and rising social tensions. These conditions disproportionately affect women, who continue to bear the greatest share of unpaid domestic work and have fewer economic opportunities in the emerging private sector.
Due to its geographic location, the country is highly susceptible to natural hazards, including hurricanes, heavy rainfall alternating with periods of drought, and earthquakes. Although Cuba has a strong disaster preparedness and alert system led by the Civil Defense, international assistance remains a crucial element in emergency response efforts.
CARE’s recovery efforts ensure that immediate humanitarian actions contribute to long-term, sustainable development. We help institutions and communities — particularly in rural and disadvantaged areas — better prepare for, respond to, and recover from natural disasters.
The current situation in the country highlights the urgent need for stronger and more coordinated humanitarian support to address immediate needs and help communities rebuild in a way that is sustainable. This means seeking innovative approaches to strengthen community resilience, equal economic opportunity, and working with the most disadvantaged groups.
History of CARE in Cuba
CARE began working in Cuba in 1995, prioritizing food security and sustainable livelihoods. Our work has evolved to support community-based food production, environmental adaptation, and developing connections between business and work in both rural and urban settings.
CARE places a special focus on women and at-risk groups, strengthening their ability to rebuild their lives and livelihoods after crisis. We work exclusively through local partners, contributing to the organization’s decolonization and localization agenda.
Our programs promote small-scale farming, local governance participation, and women’s empowerment, strengthening local economies and ensuring equal access to resources and opportunities. We also support the delivery of quality reproductive health services by strengthening local health systems.
Through these resilience, humanitarian, and food security initiatives, we contribute to building sustainable and adaptive communities — so that women, families, and future generations in Cuba can thrive despite growing economic and environmental challenges.
