CRWRC started working in Cuba in 2002. Situated in the Caribbean Sea, Cuba is a rich land with beautiful beaches, a tropical climate, and varied geography. After more than 40 years of controversial US economic sanctions and the collapse of the Soviet Union, Cuba has endured its fair share. The fall of the Soviet Union meant a loss of some $5 billion a year in subsides for the small island. A recession followed (called the "special period" tongue-in-cheek) that brought severe economic hardship for all. Considerable effort has been made in economic diversification especially in the area of tourism. CRWRC staff member Joel Zwier (US expatriate) travels twice yearly to Cuba from his home in the Dominican Republic. Currently only working with the Christian Reformed Church (CRC) of Cuba, CRWRC supports a supplemental income generation program to help families compensate for the ever-increasing list of services and products not subsidized by the government.
Fast Facts
Population: 11,451,652 (July 2009 est.)
Area Comparative: slightly smaller than Pennsylvania
Literacy rate: 99.8%
Life expectancy: 77.45 years
Population below poverty line: NA
Gross Domestic Product per capita: $9,500 (2008 est.)
Religions: nominally 85% Roman Catholic prior to Castro assuming power; Protestants, Jehovah's Witnesses, Jews, and Santeria are also represented
Languages: Spanish
(From the World Factbook. Click here for more information on Cuba.)
Partners
Christian Reformed Church (CRC) of Cuba
Through the CRC of Cuba, CRWRC is helping supplement the income of individuals and families. Community and church members participate in training to learn business administration skills. They then receive small loans which they can invest in their businesses. Local church deacons provide on-going support through periodic visits to participants. When the loans are repaid, 25% of the funds stay in the local church to build up its revolving loan fund. The other 75% is returned to the National Diaconal Committee to be loaned in other churches. While community transformation is a prerogative of the revolution, CRWRC wants to learn from the Cuban CRC and to be in place for any changes the future might bring.
Relief Projects
CRWRC responded in 2007 to the un-repaired damage left by Hurricane Wilma (October 2005). In collaboration with the Christian Reformed Church of Cuba, CRWRC provided funds for the repair and reconstruction of homes affected by the storm. Although slow communications and misunderstanding slowed down project approval, implementation with the 45 families identified for this housing project has been timely. The project is in its final stages and will be done by December 2007.
Joel Zwier and Family (US expatriate)
CRWRC staff Joel Zwier (U.S. expatriate) travels to Cuba from the Dominican Republic where he lives. Joel Zwier has been working for CRWRC since 1976. He started his career in Nicaragua; worked in Honduras for 3 ½ years and then moved to the Dominican Republic in 1983. Joel has a B.S. in agronomy from Michigan State and an M.S. in adult education from the University of Wisconsin – Madison. He is married to Patricia Ebersole Zwier, a family therapist. Together they parent their four children, one of whom still lives at home. Joel raises orchids as a hobby.
EMAIL: zwierfamily@gmail.com