Experience Cuba As a Volunteer Side-by-Side With Cubans on the Che Brigade
by Saleh Waziruddin
What better way to learn about Cuba and how its social system works than by volunteering side-by-side with Cubans from different organizations, or meeting with them face to face where you can have all your questions answered? You can do all this by joining the 27th Che Guevara Volunteer Work Brigade, where volunteers from across Canada will be in Cuba May 23 to June 6 traveling through Havana, Pinar del Rio, and Matanzas provinces.
The volunteer work is on farms and alongside members of Cuban women's and youth/student organizations, as well as veterans of the Cuban revolution. The volunteer work is customized for all abilities, there is something for everyone.
The Brigade will also visit medical technology centres and clinics to see how Cuba is surviving the US blockade. There will also be meetings with a broad cross-section of Cuban organizations, including a visit to the parliament with information on Cuba's new constitution and the drafting process. There will also be a concert, dance lessons, free time, and of course a visit to the beach!
The Brigade will be staying at an international solidarity camp outside Havana but will be in Matanzas for four days at a hotel. Havana is celebrating its 500th Anniversary. Matanzas is a centre of Afro-Cuban culture and had a key role in the Cuban independence movement. This part of the trip includes a trip to the Bay of Pigs. The Brigade will also visit the Vinales Valley in Pinar del Rio, a UN World Heritage Site of natural beauty.
The Brigade price is $1,100 including a $100 registration fee. The price includes all local travel, accommodation, meals, and tips for the Cuban staff. It does not include the flight to and from Cuba or extra/optional side-trips, snacks, or drinks. Even if you are not ready to pay for the Brigade yet it is best to book your flight now while seats are available and cheaper.
You can register online at https://goo.gl/MuYQtJ and more information is available at the Brigade's web page www.canadiannetworkoncuba.ca/brigade. The Brigade is also on Facebook.com/chevolbrigade or twitter @chevolbrigade. You can contact the coordinator, Saleh Waziruddin with any questions at chevolbrigade@gmail.com or 289 990 7683.
The Che Brigade is a non-profit project of the Canadian Network on Cuba, which represents 20 organizations across Canada involved in Cuba solidarity. The Brigade is in partnership with ICAP (Cuban Institute for Friendship of the Peoples), whose camp we will be staying at for most of the Brigade.
