A heartwarming fundraising campaign on Facebook has gathered over 500,000 Cuban pesos to aid Alejandro, a young boy with cerebral palsy living with his mother in a modest wooden house in Havana's Bosque area. This was announced by activist Guillermo Rodríguez Sánchez, who wrapped up the collection effort this past Monday.
Of the total amount raised, 350,000 pesos were deposited via a BPA bank card, while an additional 150,000 pesos were delivered in cash through various means during the week, as detailed by Rodríguez Sánchez with photographic evidence shared on his social media profile.
"There are already 350,000 pesos on the card and 150,000 have been delivered in cash throughout the week through various channels and individuals, as I have been posting with solid graphic proof," Rodríguez Sánchez wrote when announcing the closure of the fundraiser.
The Swift Outpouring of Support
The campaign kicked off on July 24 and remarkably surpassed 305,000 pesos in just 36 hours, showcasing the speed and generosity with which solidarity spread among Cubans both on and off the island.
Damaris, Alejandro's mother, raises her son alone, working as a seamstress to support their household under extremely challenging conditions.
A photograph accompanying the announcement depicts them inside their home: worn blue-painted wooden walls, a small table fan, and windows with wooden shutters, encapsulating the harsh reality faced by countless Cuban families dealing with severe chronic illnesses without state support.
Gratitude and Continued Efforts
Known online as "Guillermo Rodsan," Rodríguez Sánchez expressed his gratitude to those who contributed or shared the campaign: "Thank you for offering your visibility to provide a bit of economic relief to those in need and deserving."
Having left Cuba in 2025 via a migratory route through Nicaragua, Rodríguez Sánchez continues to organize these fundraising efforts from abroad, with support from individuals on the island. He documents each donation with photos to build trust with contributors.
A History of Successful Campaigns
This instance adds to a series of similar campaigns led by Rodríguez Sánchez in recent months. In April 2026, he raised a million pesos for a family in Júcaro, Ciego de Ávila, and in June of the same year, a fundraiser associated with his profile collected over 1.5 million pesos for a child with severe autism in Holguín.
Alejandro's case isn't the only one this month: on July 18, 400,000 pesos were raised in two days for a girl named Lía, and on July 14, Cubans gathered 45,000 pesos for a child in Cárdenas, Matanzas.
This digital solidarity trend highlights both the diaspora's and island citizens' ability to mobilize, as well as the lack of effective social safety nets for families facing serious chronic illnesses—a gap the Cuban state fails to fill, leaving citizens to bridge it through social media.
Key Questions on Cuban Solidarity Campaigns
How was the money for Alejandro collected?
The campaign collected 350,000 pesos through a BPA bank card and an additional 150,000 pesos in cash via various methods.
Who is Guillermo Rodríguez Sánchez?
Guillermo Rodríguez Sánchez, also known as "Guillermo Rodsan," is an activist who organizes fundraising campaigns from abroad to support those in need in Cuba.
What does this campaign reveal about Cuban society?
The campaign highlights the community's ability to mobilize and support each other amidst the Cuban state's failure to provide adequate social safety nets for families with chronic illnesses.