Barbers in Cuban capital offer free haircuts amid economic crisis

Barbers in Havana, have been doing their bit to ease things for residents struggling amid Cuba’s economic crisis.

Faced with power outages and water shortages, personal hygiene has become a problem, especially for the vulnerable.

Armed with mirrors, electric shavers, and scissors, a group of barbers has been setting up in a city square every Thursday to cut hair and groom beards for free.

And at the same time, improve the skills of trainees.

Apprentice barber, Miguel Alexis Pedroso Valladare, said he sees it as a way to help the community while at the same time getting better at his job. “The main objective is to help the community,” said Andrés Talavera Calvo. He teaches about seven young apprentices the secrets of haircuts, shaves, and styling.

He says most of the clients are older people, mostly men who also get a shave, but if a woman wants a simple haircut, no one turns her away.

“There are situations in the country where some barber shops have to raise service costs, making them unaffordable to many people, said Calvo.

At the start of the decade, when the economic crisis hit, a simple man’s haircut could cost about 200 Cuban pesos - now equivalent to just under 50 cents.

With inflation, a stylist charges between 1,000 and 3,000 Cuban pesos, or between two and five dollars.

The problem is that wages and pensions have fallen behind, and a retiree may receive as little as 2,000 Cuban pesos a month.

Cuba’s five-year economic crisis has worsened dramatically since last January due to an oil embargo imposed by the United States, which has left the country virtually paralysed.