MADI In Cuba
At the end of January, founder, Hayley Besheer traveled to Cuba to make an international drop-off!
Here are some snapshots and details of her trip:
Mageli Hogar Maternito Infantil - This is an overnight clinic where mentally or physically ill expecting mothers may stay for treatment until it is time to head to the hospital to have the baby. Healthcare is free in Cuba, and babies are treated with VERY serious high priority - if a baby dies during during birth, doctors risk having their license taken away.
With director of the Mageli Hogar Maternito Infantil.
An expecting mother Hayley Hayley & Pam met outside of Mageli Hogar Maternito Infantil.
Hayley and Pam's local Havana friends, guides and translators, Ana and Yenisleydis who assisted in our drop-offs throughout Havana.
-Fun facts about them: Ana is 28 and is a local radio broadcaster, Yenisleydis (nickname in English is Jenny) is 25 and a practicing Doctor in Havana.
Mirta- 85 yrs old and Paula - 86 years old. They were very excited about receiving new underwear, as it's difficult to afford. Hayley asked how they knew each other and they said they are "Amigas", sitting on the sidewalk to catch some sun :)
As Hayley & Pam were organizing the underwear to head to their first drop-off, the bathroom attendant of the restaurant we were in asked if they might give her a pair of "bloomers". She was so excited to have a pair of new underwear that she said looked like they would fit perfectly!
City driver Ernesto that told Hayley & Pam that even though healthcare and education are free in Cuba, necessities like underwear are very expensive for women especially on a wage of under $40/month (many government positions not in the tourism industry pay between $20-$40/month). They left undies for his mother and sister-in-law.
The woman in the middle is named Caridad - which means charity in Spanish. Hayley & Pam met her in Havana and they asked if she could use new underwear. She ecstatically said yes and emotionally told us how over the years she became separated from her family and a man stole her property, leaving her homeless.
These last few pictures were in Havana. This drop-off was in Santiago at the African Cultural Center - "Instituto Cubano Amistad Con Los Pueblos".
Here, Hayley was donating 25 pairs of underwear to Dr. Marta Cordies, director of the African Cultural Center.
