Cuba's free education system benefits refugees.

MARIE ROSE HAS NOT WASTED HER TIME. The slightly built 34-year-old Burundian refugee has a scroll full of diplomas, which she shows with a shy but proud smile. They certify that she has acquired an array of skills during her time in Cuba, successfully completing courses in Spanish, Italian, computer studies, massage, negotiation and secretarial skills, among others. "Given the many options in Cuba, where education is free for everybody, it would be a pity not to use this unique opportunity", says Marie Rose. Making the most of her time in the country, she is already planning to take her next course at Havana University.

A Tutsi, Marie Rose fled Burundi, where her sister and her sister's family had been killed by Hutu rebels. She arrived alone in Cuba in April 2004, having left her husband and children behind. The family did not have enough money to pay for all of them to flee. Even though her husband had his leg amputated as a result of severe beatings, they felt that Marie Rose was the one most in danger.

Cuba, which has survived decades of United States sanctions and the collapse of the Soviet bloc that used to heavily subsidize it, has experienced a downturn in its economic fortune. Despite this, the country has maintained its reputation for providing quality, free health care and education, to which some 700 refugees on the island also have access.

Refugees are not allowed to work in Cuba and many are dependent on a minimal allowance from the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) to help them survive. Those living in urban areas are lodged in private houses, where they have their own bedroom and access to a bathroom and kitchen. But the UNHCR budget to pay for the upkeep of refugees is continually being reduced because of funding constraints. Resourceful refugees try to find ways to benefit from subsidized products. "Cuba is a country with very warm, helpful and generous people, and although much time is spent looking for cheap food in the market, I am grateful", says Marie Rose, gazing appreciatively around her flat full of lovingly cared-for plants.

All of the 697 refugees in Cuba are so-called "mandate refugees", which means that UNHCR has given them refugee status because the Government has not signed the refugee convention and therefore has no mechanism to recognize refugees. A mandate refugee status gives them temporary asylum in the country, while UNHCR, which operates on the island with a minimal staff, works to find other countries that will accept them on a permanent basis.

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Having fled with his family from the oppressive Taliban regime in Afghanistan, Ramin arrived in Cuba in 2000 at the age of 14. "I was almost illiterate when I first came to Cuba, but I got the chance to graduate from technical high school. I also learned to speak English and Spanish." After five years in in the country, Ramin and his family left for Finland in 2005. This has taken some getting used to. "It's like you were living inside an oven, and all of a sudden you move to a fridge", he says. But it was not just the shock of the climate. "Cuba and Finland are totally different. Here, people are very quiet; you can hardly tell if someone is around. They are also very shy and they don't make friends easily, but they are really nice and honest people". By the time Ramin left Cuba, he was studying dentistry at Havana University. His ambitions have changed and he has applied to study international law. "I hope I will pass the exam. I would really like to work in an organization like UNHCR, so that I could help thousands of people in need."

Marie Rose is still in Cuba waiting to be resettled. "I want to reunite with my husband and our three children", she says, her smiling face concealing the horrors she has been through before managing to flee. She has suffered threats and physical attacks, but is now looking forward to a new beginning. "And we will have a better life. I hope I can use everything I learned in Cuba", she says in perfect Spanish.

Marion Hoffmann (left), who has ample experience in refugee emergencies, is UNHCR regional representative for Mexico, Cuba and Central America. She has worked with the organization since 1978.

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Mariana Echandi is public information assistant at UNHCR, Mexico, since 2001. She studied communication at the Ibero-American University.

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