Cuba is unique in the developing world with its high standard of education and health services. But the country lost its main allies and trading partners after the collapse of the Soviet Union and has been struggling to adapt to its changing circumstances ever since. CARE began working in Cuba in 1995 to address the difficult period that the country experienced as a result of the American trade embargo and collapse of the Communist bloc.

Since then, CARE has worked in close cooperation with local partners and local government authorities to improve the standard of living among Cuba's poor. CARE two main local partners are ACPA, the Cuban Association of Animal Producers and ACTAF, the Cuban Association of Agriculture and Forestry Professionals. CARE's governmental partners are mainly the Agriculture, Sugar and Foreign Investment Ministries. CARE is able to achieve its work with the funding of the following donors: Canadian International Development Agency, Swiss Cooperation Agency, UNDP's Local Humand Development Program (PDHL), French Ministry of Foreign Affairs, European Commission, private donations, private foundations (Regina de Vos, Air France) and private companies (Lee Valley Tools).

CARE works with local partners to implement long term development activities and emergency responses. CARE main sectors of activities in Cuba include food security, agriculture diversification, forestry farming, local economic development, capacity building, community development, production chains, modernization of the economy, risk mitigation and disaster preparedness, and clean development mechanisms.

Some of CARE's work in Cuba includes:

• Livelihood Improvement in six Communities of the Municipality of Corralillo: The goal of the project is to improve the livelihood of inhabitants of Corralillo municipality through an integrated approach including infrastructure improvements, food security, water and sanitation and employment generation. To ensure sustainability, the project includes a community fund and is based on community participation. (2003-2007; 700,000 Euros; European Commission, CARE France, CARE Canada).
• Rehabilitation of Agriculture Affected Population by Hurricane Dennis in Granma: The Project contributed to diminishing the impact of Hurricane Dennis on food production for the population of four provinces: Granma, Cienfuegos, Sancti Spíritus and Villa Clara. (2005-2007; CARE Canada, CARE Osterreich).
• Drought Mitigation in the Cauto Watershed in Las Tunas: The Project aims to fight the drought in the cattle producing areas of the Cauto watershed and increase the agriculture production through climate change adaptation, community organization, more efficient water use, natural resources protection and contamination reduction. (2006-2009; 165,000 USD; PDHL).