Sanne Derks

Photographer

www.sannederks.com

Ten dollar pension

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School: Postgraduate in Photojournalism, Universidad Autónoma, Barcelona, Ph.D. Cultural Anthropology and Gender Studies, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands Master in the Psychology of Culture and Religion, Radboud University Nijmegen, The Netherlands

Ony Mendoza is 70 years old. H...400 pesos’.

Ony Mendoza is 70 years old. He is retired since five years, but is working as a peanut-vendors since ten years. He does not know the exact amount of pension he obtains from the state ‘Something like 300 or 400 pesos’.

He lives in a suburb from Hava... necessary to get by.

He lives in a suburb from Havana and comes to the city centre everyday with 250 peanut tubes to sell. Cubans buy them for 1 peso each, but he tries to sell to tourists in CUC, the peso convertible. The extra income is necessary to get by.

Aida Guerreros Blanco is 92 an...care of by her niece.

Aida Guerreros Blanco is 92 and has to live with 120 pesos. She lives in the centre of Bayamo and is being taken care of by her niece.

From her doorstep she approach...after a conversation.

From her doorstep she approaches tourists in the hope they will donate her something after a conversation.

Daisy does not want to say her...st Party in Matanzas.

Daisy does not want to say her sirname, has been retired after being an English teacher with 50 years, because she fell in. Now she works as the secretary at the office of the Communist Party in Matanzas.

She loves her job as she &...y so much’.

She loves her job as she ‘has always been a Revolutinoary’. She does not want to say how much income she gains: ‘I am part of the Party and cannot say so much’.

Ebaristo Día Día (top right) is 86 years old and works in print shop ‘Yo soy Fidel’ in Havana, since 25 years. He earns 300 pesos pension and an extra 300 pesos (12 dollar) and his boss provides him with breakfast and lunch.

One of his tasks is to go shop...eels part of society.

One of his tasks is to go shopping for the food that all the employees eat at lunch time. He loves his job, as he still feels part of society.

Raúl Bouza sits in ...o be allowed to sell.

Raúl Bouza sits in front of his house in Havana Vieja that collapsed during a hurricane three years ago. His pension is 240 pesos. Every month he has to pay a licence of 500 pesos to be allowed to sell.

He sells all kinds of utilitie...e months) from Miami.

He sells all kinds of utilities like batteries and light bulbs in an attempt to make more than his pension. His brother sends him remittances (100 dollar per three months) from Miami.

Milo Suarez Turquisa is 73 yea...ts 300 pesos pension.

Milo Suarez Turquisa is 73 years and works as a shoeshiner in Trinidad. He has worked for 42 years in a factory that produces electricity products, and gets 300 pesos pension.

‘I will keep working... day on food to eat.’

‘I will keep working until I die’, he says. For every pair of shoes he cleans, he gets 5 pesos. He does not know how much extra income he has. ‘Whatever comes in, I will spend the same day on food to eat.’

With 78 years, Gilberto Velasq...s not enough to live.

With 78 years, Gilberto Velasques Ramos works as a water vendor in Trinidad. He has a pension of 300 pesos, what is not enough to live.

As the water coming from the p...able extra to get by.

As the water coming from the pipelines is not clean, water points are installed where clean drinking water can be bought. Gilberto goes around town to carry the water to the houses for a small fee, an indispensable extra to get by.

‘An artist does not ...he sells in Gibara.

‘An artist does not have an age… We are inmortal.’ Maria Lozada de los Angeles has a pension of 300 pesos, but lives from the sculptures and paintings she sells in Gibara.

Maria has a rich social life. ...nd asks for feedback.

Maria has a rich social life. She is showing her writings and drawings to her friends and asks for feedback.

Angel Julio Soza Castillo is 8...the beautiful girls’.

Angel Julio Soza Castillo is 89 year old man in front of the house he has lived in during his entire life, in the San Lazaro district, a poor area in Cienfuegos. After having worked 40 years in construction, he lives with his 200 pesos pension. If asked if he lacks anything he responds: ‘Only a television to watch the beautiful girls’.

Angel does not have another me...ely economic prices.

Angel does not have another means of income. He lives with his pension and the ‘libreta’, the Cuban ration book that entitles him to buy a montly supply of food for extremely economic prices.

Amparo Campos is 82 years old....ch as glue and socks.

Amparo Campos is 82 years old. She has been a nurse, she worked in a bakery for 18 years, a.o. Her pension is 280 pesos. She works as a street vendor in Havana, where she sells different items such as glue and socks.

With her sellings she lives on...ll be spend anyways.’

With her sellings she lives on a day by day basis. She does not keep track of her monthly income. ‘It does not make sense. It will be spend anyways.’

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Thumbnail of Ony Mendoza is 70 years old. He_ 400 pesos’.

Thumbnail of He lives in a suburb from Havan_s necessary to get by.

Thumbnail of Aida Guerreros Blanco is 92 and_ care of by her niece.

Thumbnail of From her doorstep she approache_ after a conversation.

Thumbnail of Daisy does not want to say her _ist Party in Matanzas.

Thumbnail of She loves her job as she &l_ay so much’.

Thumbnail of Ebaristo Día D&i_ breakfast and lunch.

Thumbnail of One of his tasks is to go shopp_feels part of society.

Thumbnail of Raúl Bouza sits in f_to be allowed to sell.

Thumbnail of He sells all kinds of utilities_ee months) from Miami.

Thumbnail of Milo Suarez Turquisa is 73 year_ets 300 pesos pension.

Thumbnail of ‘I will keep working _e day on food to eat.’

Thumbnail of With 78 years, Gilberto Velasqu_is not enough to live.

Thumbnail of As the water coming from the pi_sable extra to get by.

Thumbnail of ‘An artist does not h_she sells in Gibara.

Thumbnail of Maria has a rich social life. S_and asks for feedback.

Thumbnail of Angel Julio Soza Castillo is 89_ the beautiful girls’.

Thumbnail of Angel does not have another mea_mely economic prices.

Thumbnail of Amparo Campos is 82 years old. _uch as glue and socks.

Thumbnail of With her sellings she lives on _ill be spend anyways.’

Public Project

Ten dollar pension

Copyright Sanne Derks 2024

Updated Mar 2020

Topics Aging, Latin America, Photography, Photojournalism, Portraiture, Senior Citizens

Cuba’s life expectancy of 79,1 years old is remarkable. It is almost equal to the life expectancy of the USA. According to Cuba’s pension system, the retirement age for women is 60 and for men is 65 with 30 years of employment. As salaries are extremely low, pension often are less than 10 dollar (265 peso Cubano). The dual economy on the tropical island demands Cuban to be inventive to survive and gain money to buy the products that cannot be bought in peso Cubano and that are not included in the ‘libreta’ or subsidized supplies booklet. Cubans have to find a supplementary income to make ends meet. I photographed Cuba’s elderly and their jobs in the streets of various Cuban cities.

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