Elian loves to play soccer and Nintendo when he isn't helping out with household chores. Sometimes, during the winter, he likes to feed the birds outside. He has an older brother, Fernando, and a new baby brother, Jhon, who is just over 1 year old. His family frequently gets involved in skill-building activities such as making straw handbags and cards. Not surprisingly, his favorite subjects in school are arts and crafts, drawing and music.

Although he has all of his basic immunization, sanitation is still a major problem. His family shares a latrine with the neighbors, and his family's house is in relatively poor condition. His father barely makes enough as a bricklayer to pay for the electricity bill.