Londoners grapple with how to help amidst 'heartbreaking' hunger in Cuba

Hunger. Lack of water. Power outages lasting days. Skyrocketing prices for food and fuel.

It's the reality Londoner Karen Sandoval-Santana is hearing from her family living in Cuba as the country grapples with shortages on everything from food to medicine and electricity, which have only worsened since a U.S. oil embargo added further restrictions on fuel shipments to Cuba.

"They're losing their spirit. I can sense it in their voice," she told CBC's Afternoon Drive. "I can hear the stress. I can hear the heartbreak, and it hurts, and it makes me feel powerless."

Sandoval-Santana's husband is still in Cuba as they wait for the immigration sponsorship paperwork to process after their marriage last April. Her mother's side of the family is there too, who she keeps in close contact with.

"They do tell me heartbreaking stories," she said. "The situation is worsening."

Staying in touch with her husband has become increasingly difficult, she said. Sometimes the phone disconnects or text messages take 24 hours to send.

"That is very frightening ... Did he eat today? Is he OK? Is he safe?,'" she said.

The lack of tourism has cut off income for many Cubans, including her husband. She and her family in Canada still send what they can, but it's hard to divide among so many family members.

"It's never enough, we have tons of family," she said.

The worsening situation in Cuba worries Londoner Jennifer Raymer, who runs humanitarian organization Together for Cuba, providing food and medical aid to the country year-round.

"People are really going hungry," said Raymer, who lives in Cuba about four months of the year. "I just see people who are hungry, thin, and frail."

Raymer is working to send at least 50 bags of medical supplies on a plane to Cuba. After her flight was cancelled in February, she has rebooked a flight to go back there in May.

While Raymer works to arrange the delivery of medical aid, she is collecting more medical supplies from London-area hospitals, and sending money for food and fuel to people facing hunger, she said.

As food, fuel and gas has become unaffordable to everyday Cubans, her group has already delivered about $8,000 of food to them.