With 25 years of experience, Idania Perea León has made it clear that women also excel in roles traditionally assigned to men, and that, despite the negative comments that prejudiced society may have, she knows how to handle “the baby” well.
The passion of this woman, a native of Artemis, developed at the Abraham Lincoln central transportation base, when she was very young. But it was not until she was 28 years old that she began her career as a professional driver, in the territory’s sugar company.
She is currently 56 years old and has a vast career, which includes working as a cane puller, transporting workers and passengers, and as an ambulance driver.
After seven years in local transportation, she received the proposal to join the National Bus Company (eon), in which she became the first woman to drive these vehicles throughout the country.
“The provincial director of Transportation of Artemisa made a recruitment, I went, I passed the course and I started a job that was quite cumbersome, difficult and dangerous, but very nice for those of us who like it,” he comments.
«People look at you and are amazed, not all of them, but the vast majority praise you when they see you dressed in uniform, and that is very nice, that they admire you in what you do.
«After seven years, a colleague from Holguín, selected by the Federation of Cuban Women (FMC), joined; so at this moment there are two women leading the eon.»
–Have you faced any challenges or discrimination in this field of work?
–Like every woman, of course one faces adverse and difficult situations. This is a job that requires a lot of professionalism and is usually only undertaken by men, since it is doubted that we have the capacity to do it.
«I’ve been working for Ómnibus Nacionales for eight years now, and there has always been sexism and doubt, but in the end they realise that when you are a good professional and you do things well, you have to be respected and given the place you hold among your colleagues.»
“It’s a bit of a difficult job, but it can be done. When you have many years of experience, it shows that it can be done.”
–What does your family think of your work?
–Since I was always a driver since I was young, my family always supported me. My parents, who are no longer here, unfortunately, my sister, my husband; Everyone has supported me in this work.
«Currently, I have been married for 22 years. My husband met me as a driver, and he has always supported me. There can be machismo, of course, all men don’t like their wives to be drivers, but mine does.
“I wouldn’t change my profession and my work for anything, because it’s what I like, and what you do with love, you do well.”
–What advice would you give to other women who are interested in following in your footsteps and becoming bus drivers?
–If you really like what you do, take your step forward and show that it is possible. I demonstrated it, and my partner demonstrated it.
«Due to my profession and good work, I was a direct delegate to the FMC Congress. I am a person integrated into the Revolution. Thanks to it and to this country, I have managed to reach this level where I am.
“I was not rejected, as in other Latin American countries, where women are not given the space to achieve what they want. Aside from all the current problems, that is a very beautiful thing about this country, and Fidel always stressed it, as did Vilma.”
