Kesner Joachim

My name is Kesner Joachim and I was born on the 1rst of September, 1990. I was born in the countryside of Haiti in a village of Gonaives. My mother died when I was only one month old, so My grandparents raised him. I never met my father, not even sure who he is.  One day my grandmother was going out to farm and left me with my aunt to care for me. I was crying so much that my Aunt threw me in the garbage and left me there all day. I was only a baby. My grandmother came home and asked where I was and she would not tell her. They looked for me all night when they heard my cries in the far off distance. My grandmother found me in the trash. My grandmother was very angry and said why did you do that. My aunt said he is going to die anyway because he has not mother to feed him. But praise the Lord I am still hear today. Jesus saved me!

It was very difficult times living with my grandparents because they were old and had a hard time keeping up with the farm. They sold their product at local markets for little money.  We were very poor.

At the age of 7 I started working in the fields myself, and began selling what I grew at the market to pay for my school. I also sold charcoal for 35 gourdes a bag to pay for my supplies. I did this for years growing product and selling charcoal to pay for my school. It was hard but I am grateful for the opportunity to learn how to work hard and to never give up on my dreams and goals.

When I was 10 years old I took the national exam and got the highest score in the class.  The director of the school was so impressed that he wanted to take me to his house and live with him. However, my grandparents did not want that. So I did not go to school for a while because the higher level courses were too expensive.  I worked on the farm instead.  This was very hard for me because I loved school so much. That very same year my older brother contacted malaria and typhoid. Within a couple of months he died, he was only 12years old. His name was Wilguens, I was so sad and because we were very close it was a great loss for our family.  For two years I did not go to school, because we were too poor. However, the Lord was with me. In that time I learned the importance of a strong work ethic.  Farming is a way of life that requires hard work and patience. I had to get up early in the morning tend the fields and then in the afternoon go and sell what we had grown at the market. When I was 13 years old I move to Port au Prince with my aunt and uncle. My uncle treated me well and was able to pay for my school. I excelled and was a student who always got high marks. However, my uncle lost his job a year later and I was not able to continue. I was so sad. This was the story of my life, having to start and stop school, start and stop. I was so upset because I loved school and wanted to go but once again was unable too. But I still had faith that the Lord would provide. After my uncle lost his job there were a lot of us living in the same house, all the adults did not have jobs due to the economic conditions of our country. It was difficult. More family members moved in with us. There was little food to go around and frustrations started to build. But I still kept the faith that I would finish school.

I loved music and wanted to learn how to play drums, so I looked for someone at church to help me learn. However, no one would. So everyday after church I would practice myself until I learned to play very well. I became good enough that I started playing for a little bit of money, but it was not a lot because I was only 13 years old. Every time I got some money from playing, I would hide the money under my mattress. I was able to finally go to school with money I saved. I went to the government school so it was for little money. I did this for three years.  There were times when I would have to choose between eating and going to school. But I knew school would get me farther in the long run, so I choose to got to school without eating.

Everyday I would have to get up very early to walk to school; it would take me two –three hours to get there. Then I would have to walk home. I loved school so much I would stay up really late studying using candles to see because we had no electricity. When I was in the 10th grade I took another test for the national exams. 1200points was the highest score. I got 992 points, needing only 600 to pass.  I have always been competitive with a strong spirit to do my best.

When I was 15 my uncle moved out of the house we were living in. My aunt also live with us, the same aunt who threw me in the trash when I was an infant. This was the most difficult time for me because she treated me so poorly.  She would take care of her kid paying for their school and feeding them, while I had to continue looking after myself. She made me do all the work in the house before school and after school. It was very hard because I was not respected and felt like I was not important.

One day I became very sick with a fever. I could not do the work that was asked of me, so my aunt threatened to kill me by putting poison in my food.  For 7 months I did not eat at my house, because in Haiti that is something we take seriously. I continued paying for my school with the money I was making as a musician. During that time I also saved money so I could move out and rent a little room by myself. At the age of 16 years old I was living by myself, trying to make it on my own.

January 12th 2010 was terrible day for Haiti. I was at school when the earth started shaking and the building collapsed around me. I was supposed to be in another room but the teacher was not there.  If I would have been in that room I would have died along with the other 1500 students that perished in my school. My house was broken; there was nothing to eat nowhere to sleep.  The only thing I could find was sugar cane. I paid 35 gourds and sucked every bit of juice I could possibly find from the stalk.

I started living in the tent city that Sean Penn started with my aunt. That one is a very good aunt and loved me very much. The American military forces started flooding in handing out food. It was out control people were fighting, pushing and screaming to get their way in the front of the line. I went up to one of the officers and asked if they needed an interpreter to help with the crowds. I did not speak English very well but I had a passion to learn year’s prior, and taught myself how to speak and write. The Navy started using me as an interpreter. I managed the crowds very well, which they appreciated. The officers started paying me a little money for my help.  I was later referred to JP (the Sean Penn organization) to work there as in interpreter.

I have had a lot of great opportunities working for JP. I have learned many skills. I have been taught how to repair all medical equipment including the x-ray machine. I was in charge of delivering oxygen and the dangers of transport. I triaged patients too. Working at JP has made me realize how much I really liked helping people using my medical skills. This is why I wanted to be a doctor. I used to want to be an accountant but since I worked at JP I really have been drawn to becoming a doctor. The year of 2012-2016, I worked in the daytime and went to school in the evening to finish my high school. I passed the national exams with very high score. All my life I have worked very hard in school. I have taught myself English, how to play drums and piano. I have seen throughout my life the Lord has always been by my side, even when I did not see a way he made a way for me. I also have learned that we must work very hard for our dreams and I am willing to do my part.

Kesner Joachim

01/09/1990


actor, producer, writer, director,

Haiti

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