KCH Pillar: Menesly Alexandre

Please meet Menesly, our social worker. Menesly not only conducts students’ home visits on a regular basis, he has helped to find internships and jobs, for graduates and is the key person behind our monthly workshops in basic life skills and career development. He’s an inspiration to our students.

“My name is Menesly Alexandre. I come from a huge family; seven boys and five girls. My mom was the only one with a little income, my dad, a farmer, was unemployed. There was no money for school. Thankfully, an international organization took me under their wing and provided me with secondary education.   

Unfortunately my academic career was interrupted several times; I had to move from the country side to the capital, which was hard, then I failed an exam, then the program was eliminated, the earth quake happened, school was suspended for months… it broke my heart but I never gave up. Finally, in September 2010 I got my diploma.

Meanwhile, I didn’t sit still! I started to learn English. There was an English club in my church. I went there every Monday and Wednesday to practice. I found work as a translator. I went back to the countryside almost every day to translate for an international mission group.

While I was working as a translator, I tried to get into State University. I tried the entrance exam for two different faculties but failed both. Unfortunately private university was not an option since I didn’t have that kind of money. In 2011 I tried again to enter State University, and out of 3500 participants at the contest I was one of the 188 who were accepted. My dream had come true.

As I was studying to become a social worker, I continued working as a translator to meet my basic needs. During that time, in 2014, I met this American missionary. When she heard of my challenging background and my wish to use my life experience to help deprived youth, she gave me Astrid’s card – whom she, coincidentally, had just met in the plane.

That’s how my career with KCH started. After an interview, Astrid offered me a trainee position for three months, and here I am, four years later, as their full time social worker.

My life experiences taught me perseverance. Even when I am not able to understand the reason behind my failures or challenges, I never give up. I am glad I can share my personal experience with our students at KCH. I am happy that I can help them with both theory and through my own personal experiences as well. My biggest goal in life is to help others to the best of my abilities and knowledge. I am grateful for the international organization that took me under their wing when I was younger. Now I volunteer for them and give back what I received. This year I am helping one little boy in particular who is neglected by his parents. I help him so he can go to school and to church. I am grateful that KCH gives me the opportunity to earn money to do these kind of things.  I am the only one in my family who works. Sometimes we struggle to get by. But I am grateful for where I am in my life right now.”