POISED TO GRADUATE FROM UNIVERSITY
My name is Jhon, and I’m 23 years old. I was born in Querobamba, capital of Sucre, a small town of 2,500 population. My town was one of the many towns affected by the terrorism; in my family stories I could notice the cruelty of the period that marked all regions.
When I was near 7 years old, my daddy died of pneumonia; he was the support of the house because my mom didn’t work. A few months later, my aunt Porfiria, a nun of the “Congregación San José de Cluny”, explained that she would take us to Lima for a better education. My mom accepted with one condition: she could be able to visit us and we could visit her. I do not remember feeling sadness or fear because I was with my older sister; I was curious for what would wait for me in the capital.
When I arrived, Lima looked so big and populated, my aunt got us in a children’s home called “La Aurora.” The house was made up of pavilions and had a farm, there were 30 kids and I felt like I was on a little army. We got up early, took care of the animals and helped in the farm and cleaning the house. The first two years, my sister lived in the same house and then she moved to another women’s house when she finished primary school.
One day, two years later, a “gringo” appeared at the house. His accent was funny, but he looked very kind; he met with the older boys and invited us to live with him in a house he had in Breña (a district in Lima). That was how I first arrived at Casa Javier. It was a familiar house: it had a living room, it had a personal room shared with one person, I felt good; the boys seemed good and funny, and Pablo was kind and always asked us how we were. It was the first time I felt that I could go to school walking alone and went shopping without looking to see if the door is locked.
Soon I will be 9 years at Casa Javier, and I met a lot of people, from residents, educators, people on the board and benefactors. I thank Pablo for accepting me and believing in me to be part of the program. Thanks to the job and generosity of the people who believed and sponsored us:
I finished high school in the upper third.
I participated in a student exchange in one of the Jesuit schools in Ohio, USA.
I studied and finished English at ICPNA with a teaching degree.
I have managed to keep and strengthen ties with my family: I’ve been able to travel and visit my mother in Querobamba in the middle of the year, as I have also been able to visit my sister and my Aunt Porfiria here in Lima.
I entered the “Pontificia Universidad Católica del Perú”, after an arduous academic preparation.
Currently I am studying the 9th cycle of the Audiovisual Communication career.
I have been able to acquire some skills and work during the summers. Last summer, I held internships in the “Cooperativa Pacífico” in communications, and I learned a lot from the values of the Nikkei community in Peru.
Currently I am doing my pre-professionals practices at the PUCP Law School, for the Academic Office of Publications Communications and Image.
LOOKING AHEAD
I do not stop being grateful to Pablo and those who support this program, and I ask you to join us to “Transform lives”.
Jhon is on track to graduate from University later this year.