A backpack with a few clothes, food and a baby in their arms. This was how Joelys, Erisdel, and little Aitana began their journey in Serbia. They walked for over 60 days to reach Spain, trekking through forests and mountains, crossing five countries – sometimes by bus, other times on foot. So far, this is the story of hundreds of Cubans using the European route, but this tale is unique.
In two months, Joelys, Erisdel and Aitana learned that fear can be a more persistent companion than exhaustion. They entered Madrid on August 8, 2022, without resources or family to welcome them. They faced the elements, summer heat, little money for food and the weight of being “undocumented immigrants.” Yet, their fear dissipated on their first night in Spain when unknown and selfless hands offered them shelter, support and food.
The Cuban couple from Camagüey became the first beneficiaries of the Cobijo Cubano Association, a humanitarian initiative for Cuban migrants in Madrid. Its founder, Father Bladimir Navarro, explains that the project began to take shape at a charity event at the Santa María de la Esperanza Parish in Alcobendas. Shortly after, Bladimir rented an apartment that became little Aitana’s first foreign home, the first official lodging of Cobijo.
As part of the migration crisis from the island, many Cubans have embarked on the journey to Spain due to cultural similarities, family ties, and shared language. According to Spain’s National Institute of Statistics, around 200,000 Cubans were living in Spain as of February 2024, the highest number on record. Between 2021 and 2023 only, nearly 22,000 arrived.
Most migrants arriving in Spain are young working-age individuals and families with young children. Upon arrival in Madrid, many lack housing due to unstable economic support or a work contract. Most need to familiarise themselves with the legal tools needed to stabilise their lives. In response to increasing vulnerability and a new wave of migration, Cobijo emerged.
What is Cobijo?
(Cobijo: a place where someone or something takes refuge. Shelter, protection.)
Cobijo is a Catholic association that began in August 2022, when a small group of settled Cubans in Madrid welcomed the first family of immigrants from the island. However, the project was publicly announced a month later, on September 8, 2022, during the feast of Our Lady of Charity of El Cobre, the patroness of Cuba.
“The biblical text ‘I have seen the affliction of my people’ from the Book of Exodus inspired the founding of Cobijo, witnessing so many Cubans arriving in Spain homeless,” says Bladimir Navarro. “Cuba has been deteriorating more and more, and Cubans are leaving however they can because conditions there are dire. I couldn’t stay idle in the face of that reality.”
The association started from a personal desire and grew into the dream of a team equally committed to helping and providing a home for those most in need. Nearly two years since its inception, Cobijo has sheltered 195 Cubans and assists through a clothing and food bank. It manages 17 apartments that mitigate the vulnerability of those arriving in Madrid without support networks or resources.
In 2023, around 3,082 Cubans applied for International Protection in Spain. “Additionally, we must consider those who arrive as Spanish citizens and the thousands who have crossed borders risking their lives or entered through other means and are still irregular,” affirms the religious leader. Each one is fleeing the economic and political crisis in Cuba.
Bladimir acknowledges, “The Cobijo team has grown significantly, and with each person we assist, with each change we make in someone’s life, we also change ourselves.” He adds, “Nothing makes us happier than seeing them find their place and integrate into Madrid society,” just days before launching the Your Help, My Shelter campaign to raise funds to expand and sustain their humanitarian work.
The campaign’s official statement specifies, “Resources will be allocated to cover rent and utilities for accommodations, as well as to purchase food, medicine, education support, fuel, and furniture, among others.” However, their support isn’t just financial; the association also focuses on the mental health of those they shelter.
How does the project work?
The team includes several volunteer psychologists prioritising creating emotional support and companionship spaces. Glaisys Carbonell, a member of the Cobijo Cubano team, points out, “We focus on cultural adjustment, coping resources, stress, and other processes related to migration grief.”
They also regularly visit the apartments to understand the household dynamics and atmosphere. They provide specific, personalised interventions when requested by the residents or deemed necessary by the team.
“The psychologist maintains direct communication with the household managers, allowing us to keep track of the home environments. Additionally, we hold meetings that always include space for motivational talks to encourage our residents,” comments Bladimir.
Volunteers are crucial to the project’s success. They organise and welcome newcomers and distribute food. “One of their most important tasks is being part of the welcome committee for newly arrived individuals,” says the project’s founder. They also organise clothing and medicine provisions.
The association has 24 people who collaborate regularly. “Among them are parishioners from the Alcobendas parish, retired people with a long history of volunteering, and neighbours from the shelters,” adds the priest.
Challenge of sheltering Cubans
Legally, many procedures make integration difficult. “We have to deal not only with institutions but also with the uncertainty of those being sheltered, who are often waiting for a necessary document to expedite their job search,” acknowledges Bladimir Navarro.
In this regard, it is vital to handle updated legal information. For this reason, through a team of volunteers, they try to provide legal advice on Spanish laws and the rights of immigrants in the country.
The association is also in contact with the municipalities where the accommodations are located “so that processes such as registration, the school enrollment of children and teenagers, and obtaining political asylum can be expedited,” he emphasises. However, the duration of legal processes and communication with government institutions can vary from one locality to another.
At this point, the Cobijo team recognises that network collaboration is very important. On this basis, they collaborate with the Fundación Integra, which trains those sheltered in job searching, and the same applies to the municipal immigrant participation and integration centers, or CEPI, where they are enrolled.
“Many neighbours have joined the project as volunteers, attracted by its positive impact on people. In this way, we have seen an increase in the active population of the locality and a contribution to the development of local commerce. The participation of newcomers in community activities enriches cultural diversity, integration, and the social fabric,” says the priest who witnessed the birth of Cobijo.
“Anything that involves attending to a vulnerable population at risk of exclusion should be considered for adaptation to other similar populations. Giving them visibility and demonstrating their capabilities to be active in society is necessary.” The impact is noticeable in the community surrounding our shelters,” assures Bladimir.
“I remember when we founded a house in Algete in March 2023. The reality of the neighborhood has changed with the presence of the Cuban community,” concludes the priest.
Migrate, root, nurture
I remember someone once told me: “You’re scared, right? Scared of growing and messing up with Cobijo in Spain.” I replied: “Yes.” Then, that friend affirmed: “So do it scared, but please, do something for the Cubans arriving in Madrid.”
This dialogue, shared by Cobijo, reflects the uncertainty of the early months. The priest said, “The biggest challenge was believing it was possible to do this work in Madrid. We had to challenge our fears, leave behind prejudices and the labels we put on our brothers.”
The initial experience with Joelys, Erisdel, and Aitana – who have since become independent and regularised their immigration status – set a precedent for success. Today, the Camagüeyan family in Madrid “stands on its own feet.” “We both have jobs, and our little Aitana attends daycare,” says the young couple who have stabilised their lives in the Spanish capital.
Behind this story of empowerment lies the cooperation of “many organisations, social entities, friendly foundations that from day one extended their hands to us,” points out Bladimir. He adds, “We work with them in a spirit of collaboration; everyone contributes what they have.”
The religious leader reveals that when the project’s homes are at capacity, the Hospitality Table of the Archdiocese of Madrid receives migrants. “Bocatas [a nonprofit] provides us with food to distribute to our 17 residences or those in need. The Fabre and Esperanza, y Alegría foundations help us access government assistance programs, while the Ámbito Foundation opens the doors of one of its flats to accommodate Cubans. In short, Cobijo is not alone; many hands help us,” he specifies.
The ultimate goal is to replicate the Cobijo experience in other Spanish cities in the future. How is this achieved? By demonstrating the stability of the shelters and, above all, the social integration and mobility of Cuban migrants. “So that it is visible how they build their future and integrate socially,” specifies Bladimir.
The journey has been challenging, but the intention remains to provide shelter and weave networks against neglect and hardship.
This story was originally published in El Toque (Cuba) and is republished within the Human Journalism Network program, supported by the ICFJ, International Center for Journalists.
