In Havana, a group of hairdressers provides an essential service to a population in difficulty.
Every week, they set up shop in downtown squares, armed with mirrors and clippers, to offer free haircuts and shaves to those who need them most. For Cubans, facing power outages, water shortages, and rampant inflation, personal hygiene has become a daily challenge, especially for the poorest. "The main objective is to help the community ," explains Andrés Talavera Calvo, who trains about ten young apprentices in cutting, shaving, and hairstyling techniques.
The group operates every Thursday in Plaza San Juan de Dios and every Tuesday in Plaza La Maestranza, offering their services to anyone who needs them. Their clients are mostly elderly people, primarily men who come for a shave, but also women who want a haircut.
An initiative rooted in local tradition
In the early 2020s, a men's haircut cost around 200 Cuban pesos (less than 50 US cents). With inflation, a simple haircut now costs between 1,000 and 3,000 pesos (2 to 5 US dollars). A negligible amount for some, but unaffordable for retirees whose pensions are only 2,000 pesos a month.
The economic situation in Cuba has deteriorated dramatically since last January, largely due to the oil embargo imposed by the UN, which has paralyzed the country. Faced with this precarious situation, some young people are choosing to learn a trade to make ends meet.
