Voluntary work: for one's own good and that of others

As one enters the countryside, at dawn, more than a hundred cadres and workers of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba carried out this Sunday a voluntary work in areas of the Enterprise 16 de Abril, to commemorate the declaration of the socialist character of the Cuban Revolution, that day in 1961.

Some brought their young children, who, in their own way, participated in planting, weeding or harvesting sweet potatoes, planting cassava or cleaning corn, as did cadres and workers of the National Committee of the UJC, and comrades from other entities.

They were joined by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez; the member of the Political Bureau and Secretary of Organization, Roberto Morales Ojeda, and other members of the Secretariat of the Central Committee.

The presence of a small group of children was something big for Ernesto Olivera Podadera, a worker of the organization's enterprise system. He was even thinking of bringing his little boy from home, but did not decide. Next time he will come with him, he says.

With 56 years of life, he does not remember how many "red Sundays" he attended, they were many, countless; he learned of their value since he was a child, when his mother took him by the hand to the mobilization.

Photo: Alejandro Azcuy

"Voluntary work is not something to be surprised about, it is part of the normality; at least of our generation, who grew up seeing the old lady coming and going from them. I was educated in that," he asserted.
"And this - he adds - we have to do it, because in addition to its direct effects, for what we can contribute, it teaches, it forms you, it helps you understand that those who work in agriculture sacrifice quite a lot; besides, it has an important component of socialization with your colleagues at the workplace."

"This type of activity -summarized Olivera Podadera- is an act of detachment, because on your day off, from taking care of the family and other issues, you decide to participate, because these are important things that we have to do for our own good and that of others."

Geinelys González Pradera is 24 years old, a mid-level technician in Documentary Management, and has been working since 2020 in the archives of the Central Committee. Almost every week, she and her colleagues come to give their contribution in the organization's self-supply areas.

"I always went with my mom to voluntary work, and now I see how the young people give themselves to this and, with them, how we are growing," she says.

For Eduardo Escandel Santana, 34 years old, a law graduate and worker in the International Relations Department of the Central Committee, in the current situation, when the food issue is fundamental, voluntary work in the fields is the most important thing, because agricultural production, he explained, has to be the focus of attention of all those who can contribute.