Octavio Chavarría
My name is Octavio Chavarría, I am from Nicaragua and I am 48 years old. From a very young age I have felt the power of the sun on my skin. At the age of 10 I was working carrying tomatoes and potatoes in the market in my country, where the heat was so strong that I often got dizzy and my skin burned from the burns. At the time, I had no idea how much the sun was hurting me because no one was teaching me how to take care of myself, how to hydrate, or what to do to protect myself.
When I arrived in the United States, this wonderful country full of opportunities, I found myself in the same intense heat again. I worked as a construction helper, and the sun here hit me just as hard, but in a different way. I remember once, the heat sickness was so severe that I fell from a third floor. Still, I had to keep going because my job demands it and my family depends on me.
The hardest part is that many of us who work in the sun aren't given information about the risks or how to protect ourselves. Our bosses, on many occasions, don't even give us water. My skin bears the scars of years of sun exposure, and my body has suffered from it too. A while ago, I had to have lung surgery, and since then I have been short of breath. Sometimes when I get home after a whole day in the sun, I feel the heat still coming out of my body. It is so intense that it is difficult for me to sleep, and many nights I get up to bathe, trying to refresh myself and relieve that discomfort that does not let me rest.
Working under such high temperatures not only affects my body, but also my mood. The heat puts us in a bad mood, which makes it difficult to work as a team. Even with my family, I've felt the impact: a lot of times I don't want to go out with them, or even go to the beach, because my body has already endured too much sun. I suffer from constant headaches, and the marks on my skin are proof of so many years of sacrifice.
Yet, through it all, I keep going for my one-year-old grandson, which is now the biggest reason not to give up. My wife and I were given custody of her because her mother is facing addiction problems. He is my impulse to get up every day, to endure the sun and fatigue. When I get home and feel exhausted, I take two pills, go out to play with him and, for a while, his laughter makes me forget everything else.
What I want most is for things to change, not only for me, but for all those who, like me, work under the sun without protection or information. We need our employers to support us, to teach us how to take care of ourselves, to give us access to water and the tools we need to protect ourselves. Many times we do not realize the consequences of not taking care of ourselves until it is too late.
I couldn't finish my studies, but I've always had the desire to learn. Today I want to know how to lead a healthier life, how to protect my body and prevent others from suffering what I have suffered. I am grateful for projects like this, which seek to support us, because we need that information and that help. The sun has been my co-worker all my life, but also my biggest enemy. With a little more support, I think we could make this sacrifice more bearable, because we all deserve to work with dignity and take care of our health.
To those who read my story, I ask you to look beyond: to understand what it means to work in the sun and how difficult it can be for people like me. We don't ask for much, just a little empathy, water to hydrate us, and the opportunity to continue fighting for our families without putting our lives at risk.
Octavio Chavarría, 48 years old, Construction Worker. Nicaragua
