By Steeve Simbert
January 11, 2010 was a pretty typical day in Haiti. At that time I was attending the New American School (NAS). The American writer, David Baron, had come to my school in Haiti. It was during a tutoring session that David and I were thrown on the ground when the earthquake began to shake the building that we were in. It was that day that my country’s capital city was destroyed by a disastrous earthquake that caused the death of over 300,000 people. My life would be forever changed.
At the time, I simply thought it was a dream, maybe some kind of horror movie, even more terrifying, the end of the world. I wanted to say farewell to David as we were embracing each other tightly on the floor of the trembling building. Suddenly, everything was cracking and breaking down. Dust everywhere erupted into a cloud that dispersed throughout Port-au-Prince. Never in my life had I been so scared. As I lay on the floor, something clicked and I found a great strength. David had been injured, and I knew I needed to help him to safety. I was in a situation in which I could not give up; I was terrified for the safety of my family and friends but I knew I simply had to keep on going. I simply stood up and helped David get back on his feet. The intensity of the fall left some blood on his chin and the tragic incident left him with some serious injuries. I began to worry about his health, and all kinds of thoughts occurred in my mind in a fraction of a second. I realized his glasses had fallen on the ground, so I put them in my pocket and guided him to the open street.
The first floor of the four-story building we were in lay in pieces. As we were located on the terrace of the second floor, it was easier for us to simply jump out. We went in the streets, which were safer for the time being, yet all kinds of human suffering were taking place right before my eyes. So much anguish lay all around me. “What horrible offenses could Haitians have committed to deserve such an evil punishment?” I thought. Mothers, fathers, sons, infants, youths, adults, seniors – regardless of one's rank, class, or type, if it was not for luck and destiny, one would have been killed immediately by the earthquake. As we stood watching, almost everyone was covered with dust; many were trying to rescue others in need; some were running up and down the streets carrying dead and injured people. People everywhere were bleeding. Others were yelling, crying and praying as they were going insane while looking desperately for their missing relatives.
To hide from the pain and suffering, I went to the backyard of Villa Manrèse with David. Early the next morning, I went around the neighborhood asking for blood pressure pills which David needed very badly. Fortunately, I found enough pills to last for several days. I then became like a beggar, asking everybody for food and all kinds of ingredients necessary for our well-being, and then I shared them with David. We always obeyed our motto, which was: “It's simple; eat whatever we have in case we don't have for tomorrow.” I made sure my new friend was safe and was feeling comfortable all the time; whenever he had some worries I took care of them by assuring him, “there is a solution to every problem.” With my hope and determination to succeed in times of crisis, I helped my friend to retrieve his belongings in the barricaded building, and accompanied him to the American Embassy. Now David is safe in his New Orleans home, and we still keep in touch as David is my BFFL, Best Friend for Life.
After the earthquake, I was given a second chance to come to the United States by my father. My father had abandoned me to Haiti in 2008. One month after my moving to Miami, he kicked me out of the house and I became homeless. I share this with you not for your sympathy, but to confide in you what I believe is my most valuable life lesson embodied by the famous Chinese proverb “in crisis, cleverness is born”.
I have always been blessed with a positive spirit. I learned very young to embrace life. I have studied my idols, Martin Luther King, Oprah Winfrey, Nelson Mandela, and Mohandas Gandhi. I have learned that all great lives have great struggles; that it is during the struggles that these great men and women develop the character and build the skills required for their greatness. I know that crisis does indeed create cleverness.
Throughout my life I have been blessed, for I have been able to withstand unforgettable difficulties time and time again. My past does not define who I am. Rather, my difficult past experiences motivate me to create a better life for myself. Due to the hardships that I endured, I now crave a life of only greatness—one that is filled with passion, happiness, and extraordinary success. It is the great tragedies that fuel my desire and that have given me greater strength.
Shortly after being kicked out of the house, I had to grow up very quickly. I could either choose to give up or to move forward. Luckily, the adversity in my life had given me the motivation and ability to persevere. It was very hard, but I now thank God for giving me such a great opportunity to be independent at an early age. I was able to learn the art of making money and spending it wisely. Most importantly, I learned that I can stand on my own, that I am truly capable of not only surviving but thriving.
I had to do everything in my power to create a strategy to receive a full scholarship at St. Thomas University. I had no other choice than to receive a full scholarship or die. The laws of the universe were very kind to me and convinced the officials of St. Thomas University to give me a full scholarship as one of the earthquake survivors of Haiti who desperately needed help to attend college. It is funny how from a great tragedy came such a tremendous opportunity—more proof that crisis breeds cleverness and opportunity.
I remember the first day I attended college. For the first time in many years I had a room with a bed to sleep in, I had three meals a day, and I was in an environment where I was truly safe and secure. What is very common and expected for most Americans was a dream come true for me. Since starting St. Thomas, I have been blessed to be selected by several national and international organizations, such as: the 2011 Clinton Global Initiative University to engage the next generation of leaders on college campuses around the world; the 2011 Beijing International Youth Festival Global Development Youth Summit to have direct dialogues and cultural exchanges with youth from all over the world; and the 2011 Opportunity Nation Scholar to promote opportunity, social mobility, and access to the American Dream. Most recently, I have been fortunate to be the recipient of the ‘Young Social Entrepreneur/ Venture of the Year’ award from the Casimiro Foundation.
I now have a new dream. I want to change the fate of millions of children in Haiti. I want to represent possibilities to my fellow Haitian brothers and sisters to show them that they have the power to do anything they want. I believe that the greatest tool that we can offer to Haitians is to empower them. Through empowerment, they will be enlightened to achieve greatness. Through enlightenment, they will be awakened to be one-hundred-percent accountable for their own initiative and success. Through awakening, they will reach the knowledge to become sustainable. And with sustainability, a brighter future of Haiti can be possible. Who knows, I might be the ‘Ambassador of Change’.
“If you can imagine it, you can achieve it, if you can dream it, you can become it.”
William Arthur Ward
Please visit Steeve’s with Fellow Clinton Global Initiative students’ blog: http://reenvision.tumblr.com/
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