Pinar del Río opens emergency shelter for vulnerable children

The emergency shelter in Pinar del Río, which opened on July 25, provides immediate protection and provisional care for children and adolescents in situations of emergency or risk. This facility is the first of its kind in the Vueltabajo region and the third in Cuba.

According to Yuderkis Pérez Díaz, the institution's director, the center currently houses nine children between the ages of four and 13 who previously exhibited wandering behaviors late at night. Residents may stay for 30 days or longer while legal processes determine whether they return to their families or move to homes without parental care.

A staff of approximately thirty professionals, including educators, social workers, psychopedagogues, and health personnel, manages the facility. The center focuses on emotional and behavioral support, teaching daily habits and hygiene. Among the current residents, three have intellectual disabilities and four receive psychiatric care.