Young people with intellectual disabilities and entrepreneurs from Santiago came together to walk paths of happiness, emotions, love, but also efficiency, productivity, and social inclusion.
This first encounter was organized through the local development project (PDL) Zuturo, which specializes in advising entrepreneurs, in collaboration with the non-governmental organization Camaquito (focused on the well-being of children, adolescents, and youth), and the sociocultural project Sin Barreras, designed to bring people with disabilities closer to art.
Milagros, Yeny, Fernando, Díasmela, and Onelia—young people from Santiago with intellectual disabilities—along with their mothers, shared experiences with leaders of the ventures Gabardina’s Keratin (hair salon and academy), Fénix (bakery and pastry shop), and Creanex (artistic creation and tailoring). The workshop marked the first steps toward mutual recognition and the identification of potential and skills for available positions.
The dialogue allowed progress toward an initial assessment, with families acting as mediators and support, to achieve successful social and workplace integration. Discussions included preferences, interests, work schedules, on-the-job training, and how to align the needs of entrepreneurs in their businesses with the characteristics of the young people with intellectual disabilities who will be employed.
The workshop also created spaces to learn more about topics related to corporate social responsibility and raising awareness to prioritize gender equity, racial equity, competencies, and skills for comprehensive human resource management and customer service.
Participants agreed on the importance of this first step, which, according to Evelyn Torres Marzal, director of Zuturo, should open new opportunities for other people with disabilities to achieve employment, benefiting both their families and society.
For Yeny Díaz Castillo, who celebrated her 23rd birthday on Friday, January 30, beginning her working life—currently two days a week—at Creanex is the realization of a dream. She now aspires not only to sew but also to do many other things: “I like designing, making floral arrangements, and many more activities.”
A special guest at the workshop was Marilin Tamayo Massó, vice president of the Cuban Association of People with Intellectual Disabilities (ACPDI, in Spanish), who, together with Alenelis García Isaac, head of the Sin Barreras project, expressed gratitude for the initiative of Zuturo and Camaquito.
Both acknowledged that much remains to be done to raise awareness about how to promote inclusion for these individuals—estimated at around 20,500 in the province of Santiago de Cuba—by integrating them, trusting in their abilities, and recognizing their potential.
