“You’re always so cheerful,” Ana Gainza Charlot —delegate for Constituency 89 of the 16th People’s Council of Las Margaritas, in the provincial capital— hears constantly from her neighbors and friends. And her answer is always the same: “You have to be cheerful. That’s why I spend my life dancing and laughing with all of them.”

Las Tunas, Cuba.- She arrived in Las Tunas from Baracoa many years ago to forge an outstanding career working with mass organizations. Her dynamism has been in her blood since childhood, as she was always very active and held leadership positions from elementary school through high school, a period during which she became involved with the Federation of Secondary School Students (FEEM in Spanish).

From her mother, who for many years served as a coordinator in the Committees for the Defense of the Revolution (CDR in Spanish), she learned to value community work. That’s why, from a very young age, she didn’t hesitate to get involved with the work of the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC in Spanish) as the general secretary of the Las Margaritas chapter.

Her election as a district delegate required her to step back a bit from that “wonderful line of work, but I constantly support the work that women do,” she says. Everyone in her community knows her and looks up to her. With her innate leadership qualities, Ana earns the respect and affection of those around her.

After arriving in this area, she began working at the Health Services Complex, handling administrative tasks, and there she stood out for her ability to bring ideas to fruition. Her path then shifted when she joined the Municipal Directorate of the FMC to work at the reception desk. But she had already been working in her district as a block secretary.

Unfortunately, an illness and the subsequent loss of her parents prevented her from continuing in that role, but she has not stopped contributing to the Federation’s work—an organization that has recognized her for so many years of dedication. “I really enjoy working with women. You have to reach out to them at home and find the best time to meet with them. We must encourage them to keep moving forward, motivate them to participate in events for creative women —I have many here who have stepped up,” she says proudly.

When the time came, it wasn’t difficult for her neighbors to nominate her as a delegate. They understood that, with her enthusiasm and dedication, she would represent them with dignity. It was she who, during the turbulent COVID-19 period, climbed onto tractors and water trucks, always keeping an eye on everyone.

Once elected, she had a major mission ahead of her. So she began to work “with all her heart, because you have to work hard to achieve your goals,” she says. Since then, under her leadership and with everyone’s help, grassroots Cucalambean workdays, community projects, and repairs have been carried out there. Despite living with a disability affecting her fingers, she has never given up in the face of obstacles. She belongs to the Cuban Association of People with Physical and Motor Disabilities (Aclifim in Spanish) and has received support from there to keep moving forward.

“Some people say I’ve ‘made a name for myself,’ and I tell them I still have a long way to go. Although this is a vulnerable community, I feel we’re doing well, and the people are happy with me. When we work with people in diverse situations, beyond simply completing a task, we have to put our heart and soul into it,” she reflects.

As a new term approaches, Ana understands that it’s time for someone else to take over, although many will continue to look for the woman who has always been there for people with disabilities—whether in line, at the pharmacy, or when medication arrives…

Everyone will miss the delegate who doesn’t mind if a constituent knocks on her door, no matter what time it is. She goes, carries out her duties, and helps with paperwork. A woman who has no set work hours—it’s common to see her both at midday and at night. To her pride, she has a family that has also become fully involved in community work.

In Las Margaritas district, we discovered an active woman with many goals who demonstrates every day that, when there’s a will, the impossible fades away. She is constantly accompanied by a group of children and teenagers; together they walk through the neighborhood figuring out how to help or what they can improve for the common good.

Ana never tires of doing good. With her inner strength, she shows that, despite the hardships of these times, much can still be achieved if you put your heart into it. She invites her neighbors, her fellow union members, and all Cuban women to fight to achieve whatever they set out to do. “Because, you see, every day I feel more useful in carrying out the tasks of the Revolution,” she says with a smile, as she gets ready to go out and see what else needs to be done.