HAVANA — Barbers in Havana have been offering free haircuts and beard grooming every Thursday in a city square since early 2024. The initiative provides grooming services at no cost while also serving as a training ground for apprentice barbers.
The group includes barber instructor Andrés Talavera Calvo, who teaches about seven young apprentices haircuts, shaves, and styling techniques during these weekly sessions. “The main objective is to help the community.”
Apprentice barber Miguel Alexis Pedroso Valladare participates in the program to develop his skills while contributing to public welfare. “It’s a way to help the community while improving my skills.”
Most of the clients are older men who receive shaves in addition to haircuts, though women seeking simple cuts are also served. The service has become more essential as some barber shops in Cuba have raised prices, placing basic grooming out of reach for many residents.
At the start of the decade, a standard men’s haircut cost about 200 Cuban pesos—just under 50 cents. Due to inflation, the same service now ranges from 1,000 to 3,000 Cuban pesos, equivalent to two to five dollars. Meanwhile, wages and pensions have not kept pace; some retirees receive as little as 2,000 Cuban pesos per month.
Personal hygiene has grown more difficult for Havana residents due to frequent power outages and water shortages. Cuba has also faced a prolonged economic crisis, entering its fifth year, with conditions deteriorating since January 2024 due to a U.S. oil embargo.