At the former Belén Convent, in Old Havana, activities continue as part of the project “Strengthening the Sustainability of the Food and Nutritional Security Program for the Elderly and Children Supported by the Humanitarian Aid Program of the Oficina del Historiador de la Habana,” which ARCS is carrying out in collaboration with the Oficina del Historiador de la Habana thanks to funds from the Waldensian Church’s “Otto per Mille” program.
Launched in November 2025, the project builds on a long-standing collaboration that has been supporting the elderly and children in Old Havana for years.

Against the backdrop of the difficult economic situation the country is currently facing, the initiative aims to strengthen an assistance program that reaches over 600 people every day, improving its capacity to meet food and nutritional needs and, over time, making it increasingly self-sufficient and sustainable.
To this end, in addition to food distribution, the project invests in training for staff and caregivers, nutrition education for families, and the promotion of urban agriculture as a means to boost local production and foster more sustainable food practices.
In the early months, activities focused on food assistance. Since December 2025, dairy products, grains, and protein-rich foods with a total value of approximately 25,000 euros have been distributed, helping to improve the quality of the diet for those receiving assistance.
In June, the project entered a new phase with the launch of the training program.
On June 4, at the Vilma Niña Children’s Home, staff members, educators, and parents participated in the “Growing Up Healthy” seminar, led by pediatricians and nutrition specialists Georgina Zayas and Zulema Marrero from the National Institute of Hygiene, Epidemiology, and Microbiology (INHEM). The session focused on early childhood nutrition, with an emphasis on breastfeeding, weaning, and national nutritional guidelines.
On June 17, a workshop was held for caregivers of the elderly, during which participants explored the principles of proper nutrition in older adults and guidelines for creating a balanced diet tailored to the needs of older adults.
The first series of activities concluded on June 24 with a workshop for preschool children. In the garden of the former Belén Convent, the children learned about gardening tools and helped care for the plants, gaining hands-on experience with the topics of nutrition and the environment.
A new food distribution is scheduled for July.

This initiative will also be made possible thanks to funds raised by the Casetta Rossa association in Rome’s 8th Municipality, which in recent months has supported ARCS’s work in Cuba by promoting solidarity initiatives and raising awareness about the situation the country is currently facing.