School Supplies For Cuba | Debbie's Caribbean Resort Reviews Forums

We just returned from Cayo Coco on Dec 25th. We did the Colorful Cuba tour which included a trip to the city of Moron and while there we had a horse and carriage ride. The driver ask us if we had anything to give the school and took us directly there. It was so amazing to see the faces of those children. They appreciate anything! Hope you enjoy your trip!!

Just to follow up on the Guardalavaca school question: would you have to take one of the excusions to visit a school or can you visit on your own? We’re staying at the Playa Pesquero. Thanks!

Anyway, we just politely knocked on the door, and our horse adn buggy driver, told the teacher that we had some things for the school…. we were invited right in! The teacher got the kids to say "Hello…how are you?" and Thank you very much…enjoy your vacation" in English! It was pretty exciting for us, as well as them! They didn’t seem to mind us interupting, but then again, we had our driver speak to the teacher first….

I am a teacher and try to take as much in school supplies as I can each time I go to Cuba.

I am a teacher and try to take as much in school supplies as I can each time I go to Cuba.

hola tylersmom,

as posted above its always good to ask permision from the director of the school if donations will be accepted or before taking any photos of the school or children.cheers

flygt

i think if you want to make sure the school supplies reach those that really need them .. you should give them to the church.. he goes out to the outer regions and give those that need the supplies the most the gifts.. when you are down in varadero check out the school kids .. they are supplied very well and dress in their uniforms very nicely.. the high school kids in MANTAZANS are doing very well ..i think some people in the hotel trade (not all(.. may have other means.. it seems like you are doing a good deed giving the local andf maids gifts .. but all you are doing is lining their own pockets.. the local school gifts at the day care in town are all kids who parents are working in town .. i have a better feeling when i give gifts and supplies to the people in the country on the jeep and other trips.. they are the one.s that really need it .. remember you have bought stuff all the way to give it to those that need it .. not the one,s that are trading it or supplying others in their famlies and friends.. look at some of the cars they drive.. cost money to have and maintain… in the interior they have only horse and carts and they don,t come to town everyday like the rest.. some of the local help tell me they go to havana evry week to visit and get supplies as it is cheaper there.. they are the barmaids and other workers… they have a fairly new car.. i said you are doing well … he just laugh and smiled.. GIVE TO THE RIGHT PEOPLE .. your job as a gift giver doesn.t end when you just give it awayto anyone.. .

Hello, The above post bothers me a bit. We spent a day last week travelling to two poor rural schools in Cuba with Ceidel delivering school supplies. I have lots of pictures of poor Cuban children getting school supplies from Ceidel and my wife – a teacher in Canada. Other regular contributors to this site (including the topic line – Ceidel’s school – have visited Ceidel’s schools with him and seen for themselves the good in what he is doing. Other Cubans are doing similar good deeds but some people do not have the opportunity to get off the resort or to a church etc. Ask the manager at your resort how to get supplied directly into the hands of the needy schools. I’m sure many of the resort workers are concerned about their community’s education so don’t exclude them if you can’t give directly to the school. In some places, it is not easy to get to a school or even get the school to accept donations from a stranger.

flygt

We visited the school at Santa Lucia last month with some basic supplies, paper, pens, pencils etc. but the one thing I took that the kindergarten teacher was thrilled with was two inexpensive hand puppets! She showed us how she would use them the teach numbers & counting to her class. Just like our kindergarten kids here, they learn through play!

Quick question. Heading to Cayo Coco this Sunday. As a teacher I would love to take supplies for schools. With Castro’s new restrictions on what you bring in to leave in the country, does this limit this type of effort?

Cayo Coco is pretty far from a school so, if you are not going to be on the mainland, ask the manager or guest services people what the best way is to see the supplies reach needy children.

flygt

I cannot disagree with flygt here, that some things brought by tourists, end up on a black market; but, when you think about it, at least the items are going to be in Cuba, and somebody might be able to buy something, that they might not be able to get at all.

Terry

Employees at the all-inclusive resorts are already so high up the food chain that avalanching them with essential medical supplies and such that are sold for exorbitant rates on the black market – mostly to support tourist medical clinics where no "normal" Cuban can ever afford to receive treatment – helps no one.

If you can’t afford a 15 minute taxi ride or a 15 cent phone call to pass essential items (in other words, non-luxury donations like medical supplies, etc.) to the proper community authorities, then don’t bother bringing these items with you. Find other ways to send them to Cuba, or make donations to organizations that help Cubans directly (Cuba AIDS Project, etc.) and stick with money, clothes, cosmetics, etc. given directly to resort employees as tips.

Cheers,

Terry

and in my future defense… I too plan on the above but I am also taking OTC meds that I plan to give to both some resort workers and the clinic… OTC meds (especially stuff like babies/childrens tylenol) are needed by resort workers families too.

Terry

Terry

terry, I thought your above comments were directed at gambitts post and I just wanted you to know that he did in fact do what you suggest people do. He took the NJT supplies to the doctor so they didn’t end up on the black market. Terry, you must also remember though that some AI guests are not "comfortable" going outside the resort (or for that matter not even inclined – they are there for vacation after all, not on a "humanitarian mission") but still want to give things to the workers. I don’t thing it comes down to them being too cheap to take a cab into town We all hope that they don’t end up on the black market, but once given that is out of our hands. I think that many of the items given are actually used by the workers/their families/friends especially the non-luxury items like meds. I’ve never been so maybe I’m being hopelessly naive I don’t know, I guess I’ll see for myself first hand in about 6 weeksI do know that that won’t stop me from giving to the resort workers as well as the clinic and school in my area. I have to search back in this and the medical thread for the name of a priest in the Holguin/Guardalavaca area to distribute stuff like used clothing etc. I am not the least bit uncomfortable about going off the resort, but I know people who are and we should be happy that they at least think enough of the Cuban people to at least want to help – there are many out there who don’t feel that way and only care about their vacation. Cheers!

Wendy

My point – my ONLY point – is please don’t bring difficult to acquire non-luxury items like medicine to Cuba and give them to resort employees with the understanding that they’ll somehow be helping the average Cuban. That will absolutely never happen.

If your intention is to get these meds into the hands of Cubans who have nothing, then you must do as I suggested: Make arrangements to have the items delivered to the proper authorities. Period.If this isn’t your intent, then distribute your donations to whoever you wish.Cheers,

Terry

I’ve been to the homes in Cuba of some of the people you are calling "high up on the food chain". I think you would have a different vantage point if you had that knowledge. No, they do not live in poverty but I suspect you (and I) would feel wanting in the same situation. Perhaps our lifestyle is a bit spoiled but I don’t begrudge providing anything to any of our Cuban friends. Regardless of where they sit in the "food chain", they can still use the items we bring. Unless we’re prepared to trade places, perhaps generousity is the better approach.

My ONLY point was that if you think your donation is helping out the average "have nothing" Cuban, you’re mistaken. To reach the "man on the street" donations must get into the right hands – and that means keeping the black market out of the equation.

Cheers,

Terry

My ONLY point is that if you think that giving your donation to a resort worker is helping out the average "have nothing" Cuban, you’re mistaken. To reach the "man on the street" donations must be delivered into the right hands – and that means keeping the black market (and resort workers) out of the equation.

This is not complicated…Cheers,

Terry

flygt

Cuban life style seems to have a lot of furniture designed to store everything for next week or month or season…so nothing will go to waste if you get a few of those school things down there…

cheersflygt