Echoes of Self-Sufficiency in Cuba's Sierra Maestra

In Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains, residents live self-sufficiently. Food is locally grown, and solar panels provide electricity. Despite Hurricane Melissa's passing, the community remains resilient. The area's barter economy is untouched by Cuba's broader economic crisis, maintaining its historic roots as the cradle of Castro's revolution.

In the remote heights of Cuba's Sierra Maestra mountains, a journey on horseback reveals a realm where time seems unchanged for over a century. This isolated area, nestled in the island's southern reaches, thrives on locally grown food and solar-powered electricity, individual efforts transforming residents into skilled electricians, plumbers, and carpenters.

While internet access teeters as an elusive connection to the outside world, these residents remain undeterred. October saw Hurricane Melissa skim the region, yet minimal damage occurred, testament to a community accustomed to weathering natural adversities.

As Cuba grapples with a severe economic downturn, this region stands firm, its barter economy born of necessity largely insulated from national economic hardships. These mountains not only sustain life through self-sufficiency but also echo their formidable past as the birthplace of Fidel Castro's transformative Cuban revolution.

(With inputs from agencies.)