Pay to “New Zealand Cuba Society” Bank details: 02-0159-0200303-000

Join Us for a Fundraising Dinner & Film Screening

5pm, Sunday, November 24. First Union Conference Room 120 Church St, Onehunga

Cuba urgently needs your help. Three hurricanes, Milton, then Oscar, and now Rafael have slammed into the island in the space of a month. Hurricane Rafael’s 185 km winds hit west of Havana November 6th downing power lines and leading to a shutdown of the entire power grid.

Cuba is still reeling from the devastating impacts of Hurricane Oscar, which struck the eastern coast on October 20, 2024, killing six. This storm has left lasting damage in its wake. Floods, landslides, and infrastructure collapse in Guantánamo province have displaced thousands and isolated entire communities. Over 500,000 people have been affected, with heavy rainfall—up to 600 millimetres in some areas—damaging homes, hospitals, schools, and roads.

To address these needs, the United Nations has launched an appeal for $33 million in aid, focusing on essentials like healthcare, sanitation, food security, and temporary housing. Although $6 million has been pledged, a significant gap remains. Cuba’s ongoing economic challenges, compounded by a decades-long embargo, only add to the urgency of this appeal

In a special two-day session, the United Nations General Assembly met Oct. 29-30, debated and voted overwhelmingly in favour of a resolution submitted by Cuba calling for an end to Washington’s punishing 65-year economic war against the island’s people and their revolution. The vote was 187 in favor, with only two opposed – the U.S. and Israel – and one abstention, Moldova. The U.N. has passed a similar resolution every year since 1992. The assault on Cuba has been pursued by every U.S. administration since 1961.

Cuba’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Bruno Rodríguez, addressed the U.N. session Oct. 30. “For five consecutive days, from Friday, Oct. 18 to Wednesday, Oct. 23, Cuban families had no electricity, except for a few hours,” he said, adding that these difficulties were exacerbated by the effects of Hurricane Oscar, which hit hardest in Guantánamo Province.

“The primary cause of the National Power System failure was the lack of fuel,” as well as “the precarious conditions of our power plants,” he said, both “a direct consequence of the extreme economic warfare measures applied by the U.S. government.”

“In the last few years the Cuban economy has experienced unprecedented difficulties,” he said. The causes “are varied,” but “in the case of Cuba, what makes this situation unique and extraordinary is the deliberate determination of the United States to asphyxiate the national economy; sabotage and impose insurmountable obstacles to prevent our growth and development.”

Your donation can make a real difference in the lives of families struggling to recover. Join the global effort to support Cuba’s resilience and recovery. Every contribution helps rebuild communities, restore services, and bring hope to those in need.

Donate today and show your solidarity with Cuba.

Pay to “New Zealand Cuba Society”

Bank details: 02-0159-0200303-000

Anyone wishing to get updates can sign up to the mailing list cubafriends.ak@gmail.com

Fundraising Dinner and documentary

Join us for a meal and screening of the Cuban documentary Fidel Es Fidel by Roberto Chile (45 mins). Following the film, we’ll have a special Q&A session with the Cuban Ambassador.

5pm, Sunday, November 24.

First Union Conference Room

120 Church St, Onehunga