Federico M. Charle was the second scholar to graduate from Yspaniola's University Scholarship Program. He graduated from his Bachelor's Degree in Modern Languages in 2015, and a year later he was awarded another competitive scholarship by the Dominican ministry of Higher Education, to study a Master's degree in Language and Literature Research at the University of Valencia in Spain. Yet, it was a difficult journey with many setbacks, and "Fede" as he is affectionately known, has worked incredibly hard to realize his dream of becoming an author.

This month, Federico spoke to us about celebrating the launch of his first published work, now available to buy on amazon (see links). To the delight of Yspaniola's students and teachers, "Gato, La Pesadilla de Las Brujas", (and it's English counterpart, "Cat, The Witches' Nightmare") is a magical story for children that we have already explored in class!

The book begins with a dedication to the Batey Libertad school, from where Federico drew his inspiration. Excerpts follow from his interview with Sophia Robinson, Yspaniola Operations and Development Fellow.

Q: Fede, congratulations! Tell me a bit about your journey to get to this point.

A: I am one of six siblings and my father died when I was young, so my mom supported us on her own. It was a really big transition to leave Batey Libertad and go to university in Santiago, but Yspaniola understood this and helped a lot with the adjustment. When I decided to do my Master's degree, the scholarship only started once I got to Spain, and even then it didn't cover everything I needed. I had to work a lot of really long hours in order to afford my plane ticket to be able to make it to Spain. I struggled a lot, but I also learned a lot. I have really come a long ways to be where I am today, as a published author. 

Q: When did you know you wanted to a writer?

A:  Ever since I was really little, I have always enjoyed writing and I knew I wanted to write. One of the reasons I chose to do my Master's in Language and Literature Research was to learn more, because I knew that I knew that one day I wanted to publish something.

Q: Do you think it is important for children to have access to a wide variety of books, and see themselves represented in them?

A: Yes, one my primary goals of this book was for when one of the kids in the batey or in the Dominican Republic reads the book, they can identify with aspects of it. Whether they identify with characters, the environment, the culture, or the scenery. Because that is something that all of the kids in the Batey have experienced or heard about, the stories about the witches that people tell you. 

I think it's very important that kids have the opportunity to read, and I hope they will read my book! Through reading, they can begin to understand and develop themselves, and begin to think bigger and say, okay, I can also do that. If this person is able to become an author and I know him and he is from the same place as me, then so can I. 

It's a book that a lot of kids can learn from and it can help them grow in an educational sense. I think is very important that the book provides something to identify with, so kids can see themselves in the book. 

Q: So, the book is inspired by real people from Batey Libertad?

A: Yes. It's inspired by real people and real experiences, it's mixed with fiction of course, but it's a story about things that I experienced growing up in the batey. 

If you ask any of the people from the batey who were kids in the my generation they will be able to tell you who Tamalia [one of the witches] is. It's based on experiences we had at the school, and playing soccer together, and the stories the adults used to tell us as kids. 

We used to get scared when we were kids because we didn't know if the stories about the witches were true or if they were urban legends. They way that adults would tell us the stories made you believe them. When I was a kid we didn't have electricity at night most of the time, so we would be playing out in the street without lights. Sometimes the as the evenings drew in, the lack of light would play tricks with your mind, and you might think you saw something!

Q: Fede, we are so proud of you! Tell us about your plans for the future?

A: Thank you. I would say that publishing this children's book is one of my first steps to show the world what I have to offer. It's something that I have lived and is a part of me and my childhood. I would love to publish more books in the future, and I hope that those books are also able to reach the batey and the kids, and everyone who wants to read them.

I have a novel that I have been working on for years, and for me, when I am able to publish that novel it will be one of my greatest personal achievements in terms of producing literature. Because, it's something that I truly know and love and am passionate about, and something I want to share with other people. 

One of my dreams is to start a language institute for children, where they can go and learn multiple languages. Nowadays, that is something that can take you really far and provide you with a lot of opportunities in the world. Speaking multiple languages would give the kids of the batey a leg up in the world and help them with finding employment in the future.

 

This #GivingTuesday we would like to support Federico, and encourage you to buy his new children's book. Celebrate #GivingTuesday with us and support an author from Batey Libertad, who was also an Yspaniola scholar.

The links to purchase the book are below:
Spanish version: Gato, La Pesadilla de Las Brujas
English version: Cat, The Witches' Nightmare

Finally, please don't forget to leave a review for Federico's amazing book!