Cuban women follow in Vilma's footsteps for popular unity

SANTIAGO DE CUBA, Cuba, Apr 22 (ACN) Migdalia García Hechavarría never thought that in her sixties she would learn more about agricultural work, seeds, harvest, or other socioeconomic tasks, but she has.

“I am proud to be one of the members of the Contingent “Seguidoras de Vilma” (Vilma’s followers) in this province, where on top of being useful in my retirement I have found a great family, highly recognized for its contribution to food production," she said.

Its director, Zenaida Barbán Rodríguez, stressed that the three-year-old contingent’s main goal is to increase the presence of women in agriculture, an initiative fully supported by the local government and party leaders.

“Our members, namely homemakers, retirees, active workers, and mothers with more than three children under 17 years of age who deeply love the Revolution, realize the dream cherished by Vilma Espín, the heroine of the plains and the mountains, which was to see our women at the forefront from their different positions or jobs”, she assured.

On her end, People’s Council president and Contingent founder María del Carmen Pérez, remarked that they do agricultural work wherever it’s needed to help the region become food self-sufficient, a task they do on a volunteer basis, that is, without being paid any money.

The 17 members take pride on their efforts to achieve municipal and national food sovereignty, in line with the words of the historical leader Fidel Castro when he said that “women are a revolution within the Revolution”.