'People Are Tired': BC Volunteers Speak Out on Cuba's Humanitarian Crisis
Two British Columbia women who co-direct a Canadian non-profit are offering a sobering window into daily life in Cuba — and what they're describing is a population running on empty.
Leanne Isaak and Elise Hjalmarson are the co-directors of One Shared Future Un Futuro Compartido, an organization dedicated to building cross-cultural ties and delivering humanitarian aid between Canada and Cuba. Their recent mission to the island left both of them shaken by what they witnessed.
Exhaustion and Scarcity
"People are tired" — that's the phrase both women keep coming back to when describing what Cubans are living through right now. The island has been gripped by severe shortages of food, medicine, and fuel for years, and the situation has not improved. Rolling blackouts that last upwards of 16 to 20 hours a day are common in many provinces, making cooking, refrigerating medicine, and simply getting through a workday an enormous challenge.
For ordinary Cubans, the cumulative weight of these shortages has created a sense of profound exhaustion — not just physical, but emotional and psychological. Isaak and Hjalmarson describe long lineups for basic goods, families stretching meagre rations, and a health system under serious strain due to a lack of essential supplies.
Why Canadian Organizations Are Stepping In
Canada has long maintained diplomatic and humanitarian ties with Cuba that differ from those of its southern neighbour, and organizations like One Shared Future are part of that tradition. Groups like theirs fill gaps that government-level aid doesn't always reach — delivering targeted support directly to communities and institutions.
For Isaak and Hjalmarson, the mission is deeply personal. They've built relationships in Cuban communities over years of work and feel a responsibility to bear witness and speak up, even when the news is difficult.
"You can't go there, see what's happening, and come back to Canada and just say nothing," one of them told CBC.
What Can Canadians Do?
Both women are encouraging Canadians to educate themselves about the ongoing crisis and to support verified organizations doing humanitarian work in Cuba. They caution against uninformed travel or donations that don't reach those in need, and advocate for thoughtful, relationship-based aid.
One Shared Future focuses on sustainable, community-led projects rather than short-term charity drops — a model that, they argue, creates more lasting change and real solidarity.
A Story Worth Watching
As Cuba's crisis deepens and global attention remains distracted elsewhere, the work of Canadian humanitarian volunteers like Isaak and Hjalmarson offers a reminder that ordinary people can still build bridges across borders — even when the news cycle has moved on.
For Canadians following the situation, their firsthand accounts are among the most candid available.
Source: CBC News British Columbia. Read the original report at cbc.ca.
