Kwessi P., a current Anthesis participant, moved from Lomé-Togo, West Africa to the United States in 2013. While living in Lomé-Togo, Kwessi worked with his mother in an open-air market selling clothing and beds. For many years, Kwessi’s days consisted of waking up before sunrise to help his mother set up and packing up everything at the end of the day. Due to changes in his hometown, Kwessi was inspired to move to the United States to better his opportunities for himself and his three children.
Kwessi’s move to the United States was difficult but he remained hopeful. His first job was working part-time for a tile laying company making only $6.00 a day. In September 2018, Kwessi joined Anthesis as part of the Supported Employment Program (SEP) and has experienced significant growth ever since. SEP supports individuals to grow into the positions that have been placed in to ensure that they maintain employment. In the Supported Employment Program, Kwessi explored the steps needed to be placed in a paid position that aligned with his interests. After discovering Kwessi’s interests and skills, he became a member of the DoubleTree laundry enclave. Kwessi took great pride in working at the DoubleTree Hotel. He worked hard, did an excellent job, and always had a positive attitude. Kwessi was proud to be able to send money home to pay for private schooling for his children in West Africa.
When the pandemic hit, enclaves at the DoubleTree Hotel were furloughed. Kwessi was disappointed in the change but was open to new opportunities. Kwessi was placed on the Yard Crew when a spot became available and, despite his lack of experience with the equipment, put his all into learning the new job. Since joining the Yard Crew, Kwessi has learned landscaping, yard maintenance skills, and assisted with harvesting vegetables at the Montclair Community Garden.
Everyone at Anthesis admires Kwessi’s dedication and success in pursuing better opportunities for himself and his children. Kwessi is a hard-working, kind-hearted, and humble man – he spends his weekends feeding the homeless and is eager to come to work every weekday. When asked how he likes working at Anthesis, Kwessi said, “I love it. I am a happy man.”