Over the years, I have travelled back and forth, built friendships, shared countless hours of dancing, music and laughter, and met people who have become a very important part of my life. But the more time I spend in Cuba, the harder it becomes to simply see it as a place I travel to.
I see the people behind the music. The families behind the smiles. And the reality behind everyday life.
That is why giving back has become such an important part of what we do.
From Norway to Cuba
One of the things we work on is collecting money in Norway that can be used to help people in Cuba.
We have a Vipps account that is open for anyone who wants to contribute. Sometimes we remind people that the possibility is there, because even a small donation can make a difference when many people contribute.
We also sell donated second-hand clothes, and 100% of the income from these sales goes directly into what I call the “Cuba fund.”
Small businesses have also supported us by donating money or contributing profits from different initiatives. There is no large organisation behind this. It is simply people helping people. And that is something I really believe in.
Why focus more on money now?
The situation in Cuba has become increasingly difficult. Statistics are not the only way to understand what is happening. You can see it in everyday life.
Cuba is experiencing a severe economic and energy crisis, with shortages of food, medicine and fuel and increasingly frequent, prolonged power cuts. In 2025, Reuters reported that some areas outside Havana were experiencing blackouts lasting more than 20 hours a day. (Reuters)
For a long time, we used to bring a lot of clothes with us when travelling to Cuba. But with increasingly limited luggage capacity on the routes available to the island, we have had to think differently.
Instead of filling our suitcases with things, we are increasingly trying to fill the Cuba fund. And in many ways, I think this gives us something even more valuable: flexibility.
When we have money available locally, we can look at the situation in front of us and decide what is actually needed.
Looking beyond Havana
Havana is where I spend much of my time in Cuba. It is also where many things are easier to find compared with smaller towns and rural areas. But Cuba is much bigger than Havana.
During my trip in August, we wanted to focus our help somewhere outside the capital. We chose a small town called La Vega, approximately an hour and a half from Havana. The energy situation is particularly difficult outside the capital. And when electricity is unreliable, something as simple as buying and storing food becomes much more complicated. So rather than buying things that require refrigeration, we chose essential products that could be stored for a longer period of time.
Each family received:
1 kg of rice
3 packages of pasta
2 cans of meat
1 kg of sugar
500 g of washing powder
1 kg of beans
2 cans of tomato sauce
It may not sound like a lot. But when you are worried about what you will eat tomorrow, a bag of basic food can make a change.
Seven families
We selected seven families in La Vega.
Not randomly.
The families included elderly people living with illness, people with chronic conditions who are bedridden, families with disabilities and wheelchair users, and people living in extremely difficult financial circumstances who are unable to work.
How does it actually work?
The process is actually quite simple.
Money is collected in Norway -> Jennifer bring the money to Cuba. Together with my good friend Barbaro, we buy the products locally.
We pack everything into individual bags. Then Barbaro transports the food to La Vega, where he and his family help distribute it to the selected families.
We take photographs during the process. Not because I want to turn someone’s difficult situation into a spectacle, but because I want the people who contribute from Norway to be able to see where their money goes.
I want them to see the reality. And I want them to see the gratitude.
Barbaro
None of this would be possible without people I trust in Cuba. Barbaro is a very good friend of mine. We met several years ago, and over time he has become someone I know I can rely on. He has a heart of gold. And perhaps most importantly, he genuinely wants to help. He is just as passionate as I am about making sure that the people who need help actually receive it.
Because I live in Norway, I cannot personally be in Cuba every month. But the work does not stop when I leave. Together with Barbaro and our crew in Cuba, we continue organising help locally.
That means a lot to me. Because this is not supposed to be something I do only when I am physically there. It is something I want to build over time.
I don’t believe we can fix everything
I am very aware that we cannot solve Cuba’s problems. A few bags of food will not change an entire country. One donation will not end poverty. And I don’t pretend that it will.
But I also don’t think that should stop us from doing something. If we can help one family have food for a little while, that matters. If seven families receive something they genuinely need, that matters. If someone who is struggling feels that somebody outside their immediate circle cares about them, that matters too.
For me, helping is not about being a hero. It is about doing what I can with the opportunities I have.
Cuba has given me friendships, music, dance, memories and experiences that I will carry with me for the rest of my life. Giving something back feels natural. And perhaps that is what I hope people understand when they see this work.
You don’t have to change the world. Sometimes you just have to make one person’s world a little bit easier.
And then do it again. And again. ❤️
How You Can Help
If you would like to support our Cuba fund, you can make a donation through this link using Vipps.
If you live outside Norway, you can donate through our PayPal account.
100% of the donated money goes directly towards helping people in Cuba.
Those of us who organize and carry out this work do so voluntarily. We receive no salary or personal profit from the donations, and the work is done on our own initiative and in our free time.
Every contribution, no matter how big or small, can help us do more.
Thank you for being part of this journey and for helping us bring a little support, hope and kindness to people who need it ❤️
