Mayulis, a Cuban electrical engineer, reinvented herself as a school bus driver in Murcia, Spain, after migration barriers prevented her from validating her degree. With determination and support from a local training program by Cáritas and FROET, she earned her commercial driving license and now works transporting children. Her story reflects the broader experience of over 62,000 Cubans who arrived in Spain between 2023 and 2024—many of whom must rebuild their lives from scratch.

When Amelia Calzadilla landed in Madrid with her three children one November day, she had not only overcome the fear of flying but also bid farewell to a place she didn’t want to leave.