Cuban Social Workers’ Day: A Tribute to the “Doctors of the Soul”

Every September 10, Cuba commemorates Social Workers’ Day, a date that pays tribute to the founding vision of the leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, who in the year 2000 inaugurated the first training course for these professionals. Social workers are key figures in identifying and addressing community challenges, as they actively work to strengthen local assets in order to generate tangible improvements in the quality of life of families and communities.

Lianet Cárdenas Abreu, a social worker from Quemado de Güines with more than twenty years of service, shared her perspective on the impact of this profession with our station:

Cárdenas has worked for over two decades as a social worker in the Riquelme Popular Council of Quemado de Güines.

“From the very beginning it has been very important because we have reached all communities, all those people, those most vulnerable sectors. We are responsible for providing logistical support to vulnerable people in all their problems, in all their needs; we give them emotional support and help them manage their difficulties.”

Cárdenas Abreu recalled Fidel Castro, evoking his words when he outlined the sacred duty of these professionals to “demonstrate everything that a just, supportive, and truly human society can accomplish,” while underscoring the deeply humanist essence of their work.

When asked about what it takes to choose this profession, she emphasized that “first of all, you must feel a humanitarian vocation. We need to be empathetic with those who are vulnerable. We must be humane, sensitive people, because our work is fundamentally based on helping those who lack the resources or the means to address their problems.”

Lianet also conveyed a message of commitment and dedication to the future professionals of social work who are currently in training:

“For the new generations who are studying today, my message is that they should love their profession, that they should never lose the sense of being human, and that, despite the difficulties that may arise along the way, they should never abandon their sensitivity and humanity in helping those most in need.”

The “doctors of the soul,” as Fidel Castro once called them, dedicate their daily efforts to transforming conditions of vulnerability. Their tireless work seeks to help those in need overcome adversity and reintegrate fully into society.