Refurbishment work on the premises that will be used as the new children's house in Chaparra.

I didn't ask him, I said: “You are the construction manager”, and he replied: “No.” I insisted affirmatively: “The head of the brigade,” and he revealed to me with simplicity: “I am Dr. Héctor Arturo William Muñoz, general director of Public Health in the municipality of Jesús Menéndez.”

“Jesús Menéndez,” Las Tunas.- I didn't feel sorry for my mistakes, because my doubts were justified by the attire the doctor was wearing that hot afternoon; for more details: a black jumper, khaki trousers, and rubber boots up to the height of his legs. All over his wardrobe, hands and face were beads of sweat, and traces of cement, dust, and other debris generated by construction work.

Doctor Héctor Arturo William Muñoz
Dr. Héctor Arturo William Muñoz, municipal director of Public Health

We met in El Batey on Calle 10, between 17 and 19. At this point in Chaparra's geography, the maintenance brigade of the Directorate of Health and other workers, led by Héctor Arturo, were transforming a building that used to belong to the Commerce Company. Their objective was to turn it into a cozy little children's house, because, as the director remarks, safe and well-cared-for children mean peace of mind for the working family; a strong reason that stimulates him to share the hard work, without neglecting the multiple responsibilities that concern his job.

We are creating all the conditions this building must meet for its new purpose,’ he says. He shows us the work that has been done and tells us what remains to be done to make this collective dream come true. He and his colleagues are enthusiastic about the project. ‘It will accommodate 20 infants, from 2 to 5 years of age, a figure that almost satisfies the needs of working parents in the area. There is a lot of joy in achieving such a long-standing desire.

"We are convinced, he stresses, that with so much less to worry about, mothers and fathers will feel more relieved, they will work with peace of mind and focused on their important tasks." Undoubtedly, he argues, it will allow us to expand our work, make better use of the working day, be more efficient, and provide a better service to the population, which is our main mission.

He explains that ‘it is part of an articulated program with Education as an essential complement for the good functioning of the entity because it guarantees the correct formation of the children and the specialized care they require in the early ages. The assistants and educators of this sector will provide the methodological-educational service, and we will be in charge of the building and its provisioning.”

The children's house longed for by many families would be inaugurated on 24 July among the social benefit works promoted in “Jesús Menéndez” in salute to the National Rebellion Day.