They have the age of frolicking with a face full of dirty, living without worries, taking toys apart to see what there is inside or walking with lizards in their pocket, while their parents reinvent how to satisfy their needs and make them happy; however, in this case parents are not with them , and these kids keep stories always difficult to tell, despite innocence.

In house number 77 at Ignacio Humara street, between José Martí and Antonio Maceo, in San Cristóbal, there are 13 children – ranging from 7 to 18 years old - try to face their daily life based on tenderness and affections in the Home for Children without Family Support , which has been here since January 2018.

Although there are absences that apparently will not be definitive, I do not know when they will really laugh again without the distant looks of anguish and grief, and I imagine the lives of many without this place , belonging to the Education management , which uphold them to relieve their soul.

Leydis, still with the memories of her fifteen's party celebrated in the Home, brothers Elaine and Marlon, who will only be there until September 20, 2020 with the others, at the end of their mother´s imprisonment ; and Thalia, 17, daughter of his grandfather, who must go to a psycho-pedagogical center, due to other disabilities. These children are part of the concerns and occupations of about thirty workers in the Home.

While younger brothers, Hale and Javier run happily and long to go see their other brothers at the same institution in Bauta, Deysis moves back , but gets closer and two others: Yandy and Wendy, seduce the "aunts", to play more time without stopping.

In this place, full of sensitivity, I heard about foster family for first time , which is in charge of some children on weekends or other periods, without adopting them . José Alejandro, has one family , he has been an orphan since he was nine years old.He is about to turn 18 and he only hopes that he will be assigned his home in Alquízar to take the gratitude for those who have seen him grow.

Shared feelings

This institution privileges children with the best conditions. It has eight rooms for two children each , independent bathrooms, (although not all sinks work), plus exquisite cleaning and organization, call the attention as the rest of the areas.

This Home is not alone; many entities give their support with affections and products ,such as: cooperatives Camilo Cienfuegos, Leopoldo Reyes, farmers Juan Carlos González and Orlando Nodarse cooperative , in addition, El Punto UEB Porcine Enterprise from Alquízar, La Palma Forestry Company, the Social Workers from Comandante Pinares Hospital, the Evolution Logia, the House of Music and the Computing Young Club, among others, the director says .

Those of us who have children know how difficult the fulfilling of their primary needs is , and although the most important is a priority in this institution, some links will have to join to satisfy and others play their best role, for the Home´s ideal functioning.

Many initiatives are present in this place , such as those of Los Tres Monos Sabios restaurant , because once a month they invite the children for dinner and book a night there for dancing , without charging them, to which other workers(state or free-lancers) could help . Sometimes they pay from their stipend the high prices for hair cut and other services related to age and current times.

Pay more attention to the "House"

A one-hundred CUP stipend is given to children from seven to 13 years old and 180 CUP for the ones ranging from 14 to 18 years old) . In addition, 150 points are assigned each year to buy a clothing module in Cimex stores, which is a significant support, because although they decide what to buy, we advise them according to the needs, we even divide that amount and go more than once a year, ” the director says.

“However, in 2019 we have not bought yet, and that module satisfy many needs such as: shoes, flip flops, clothing, deodorant, shampoo toothbrush, hair conditioner…. I fear that this budget is due , ”she says.

Recreation also has some debts that could be solved , due to lack of transportation , (the one they have is not functioning and in terrible conditions), they can not go to other places , even at night they do not have a guard car available for an emergency.

“During last vacations, when even the lack of fuel did not affect everyday life, we did not go to the zoo or to the Lenin park, José Martí monument house , the National Aquarium, the House of Music, Los Caballitos amusement park or ice cream parlor.

“We could only take them, (it must be in school buses), to Soroa pool and the Pioneers camp, which is contradictory, because next to the Home there is a very good area with a pool, which belonged to the house, and it is not yet defined what to do with it, while it deteriorates and favors mosquitoes and other insects increase. ”

In her opinion, it could "be a heritage of Education management , as a choice for teachers recreation and at the same time be used by the children of the Home, despite a year and ten months of being in this house nothing is decided" she emphasizes.

On the subject, Caridad Cruz Ávila, Education´s provincial director, explained that this could be the idea, but it has not been approved yet , and “should be incorporated into the investment and maintenance plan of the municipal Education Department”, more apparently there is stillness on the subject.

The director also explains that “we have children from Güira de Melena, Alquízar, San Antonio de los Baños, Guanajay and Artemisa. With the exception of the latter, the municipal education management almost never make a phone call or visit to know about children´s development .Upon graduation, most of them return to their municipalities, even with the safety of a tutor and a home ”, Alicia says .

Home inside

There was a name that again and again returned to the main point of our conversation. Like an uncle, one of those who in any home takes the nephew to masonry work , to the screwdriver and the nut, to teach them the love of work and being useful.

Building and dreaming, Rafael Mesa, the maintenance worker, tries to make them take part in the house´s reparations; a wall to be fixed ,so they have a sense of belonging, they become more independent and curious about a job, reveals this gray-haired man.

Meanwhile, another opportunity starts with the aunts and the director, through Costurera Soy (I am a seamstress) project . “They entertain and learn by putting buttons, mending their clothes and those of the brothers, meanwhile other boys develop their skills with Paper Maché,” says the black hen of so many chicks, as some call the director, while we were talking.

And suddenly, in the midst of such tranquility, I feel a rumble throughout the house. All they come back from schools accompanied by “aunts,” they tell me. There they go!, they change clothes in the rooms, some organized the uniform and others leave it on the bed, the shoes in a corner, the socks over there. They take out the notebooks, but not before tasting some snack, and go directly to the tasks or to study, for which they sometimes need a computer, the only one they have is broken.

And when it is thought that they are tired due to school day, they are willing to do tasks and other common activities of any home.

The teacher arrived!” The joy is multiplied, because Osley Pedroso Leal, brings a lot of desire, affection and understanding and knows that the little ones are very lacking, that's why he plays games with them.

Pedroso is a Master in Recreation. He makes many things :play chess, an excursion, plays volleyball to keep them amused any day of the week.He is another part of this great family.

I left the house number 77 very homesick . There, I left some sighs and the commitment to return, but I took with me the hope of knowing that there are those who work to protect dreams and that they arrange any breakage with their affections , even when it is about the soul.

TRANSLATION BY LMMS