Oneil Madden is a prime example of the phrase a ‘From nothing to something.”

The 27-year-old lecturer and researcher, who has taught in France and currently teaches in Jamaica and the Cayman Islands, grew up in the small neighbouring districts of Lime Tree and Tower Hill in Mavis Bank, St Andrew, with his parents and five siblings in a house inherited from his grandparents.

Apart from a living room and kitchen, the house had two bedrooms — one for his parents and the other for him and his siblings. There was an outside bathroom and toilet.

Madden, who served as president of the Association of Jamaican Nationals in France (jamifrance), said he, along with his three sisters and two brothers, struggled financially as their parents tried to make ends meet. But today, he is a source of jubilation and a testament to his parents that the struggles didn’t go unrewarded.

“As siblings, we shared, and still do, a great bond having had to share beds and endure several trying times together. My parents were mainly coffee farmers and there were other things on the farm such as gungo, red peas, yam, plantains, bananas. Back then, dad also reared cows, and he was a veteran mason as well,” Madden told the Jamaica Observer in an interview.

“Despite his trade, it took him approximately 10 years to complete our family house in Tower Hill. Mom also used to work at different coffee factories to earn a living. She stopped several years ago when her health and strength started to deteriorate. Life was very difficult socio-economically. We were never privileged, though many people thought otherwise. We have a relatively sizeable house, but inside was often empty in terms of food and furniture. I had to endure hunger.”

For his early education, Madden was schooled in the community schools — Midway Basic School and Tower Hill Primary School.

“I did well at this level, always placing within the top two on my reports. However, I was never a competitive person. I just went to school and knew that I had to do what was necessary,” he told the Sunday Observer.

“Given the number of siblings in school at the same time, it was not easy for my parents to provide all the resources needed. However, I worked with what I was given, and mom would always ensure that we did our homework. She always stood up with us, even when she did not understand some of the content. We did not always have the lunch money, but we always wore a pleasant smile.”

Thankfully, he added, lunch was subsidised through the Programme of Advancement through Health and Education (PATH), and on many other occasions, his aunts Bernice Simon and Dosetta Henry, whom he described as his second mothers.

When it was time to choose schools for the Grade Six Achievement Test (GSAT) placement, Madden said he did not have any great ambition of going to one of those “highly ranked” traditional schools. His mother chose nearby schools and furiously, his teacher redid the list.

“That year, the results were released very late on a Friday evening. I was already asleep, given that there was church the next morning. Mom kept getting calls asking if she had received my results. The principal finally called. The result was Excelsior High. I did not know how to feel. I did not know anything about Excelsior. The only reference I had in mind was water cracker at the time. My family, however, was very excited for me,” he recalled.

Madden, who was a prefect, told the Sunday Observer that he performed well in high school. His grades in grade seven landed him a spot in one of two streamed groups in grade eight. At the time, only those who were streamed got the opportunity to learn French.

“I was now among the crème de la crème in class 8:7, which meant that I had to work extremely hard to keep up with my brilliant classmates. My report got better as I went up the grade levels. I eventually obtained awards at award ceremonies, and I excelled tremendously at French and Spanish. I was Excelsior’s top French student in grade 11 and second in Spanish.”

He left high school with 10 subjects, and this was a joy for his parents who had borrowed money to cover exam fees. He then applied to Shortwood Teachers’ College to read for a Bachelor of Education in French and Spanish.

“The registrar called me to inform me of my acceptance. I was shocked. I called my mother and communicated the information to her. We did not know from where the funds would come. Luckily, my big sister got her partner that same week; she took me downtown to buy some stuff and I was able to board on campus.

“This moment in my life was very meaningful, and the struggles were more pronounced in my family. At this point, both my big sister and I were starting university, and my big brother was heading into final year at The Mico University College. I also had two younger sisters in lower grades.”

In his third year at Shortwood, he got to go to France for a six-week immersion programme.

“The cost was €3,500. In addition, I had to cover the tuition fees. These funds were hard to find. At one point, my lecturers called my mother to inform her that they were going to purchase the tickets, which were non-refundable. She told them to buy them in faith, believing that things would work out. She spent days crying because she wanted the best for my siblings and I,” he said.

Currently, Madden is writing a doctoral dissertation at Clermont Auvergne University in France on tele-collaboration and multimodal interactions to strengthen linguistic, cultural, and intercultural competences in French and English as foreign languages, with an emphasis on WhatsApp as a tool to aid in the teaching and learning of foreign languages and cultures.

“I did not have any money when I started my PhD, as I had just completed my masters and was flat broke. My friend Valentin Bouillot paid for my first year. At my young age, I am a lead researcher in my area of studies in Jamaica. I have had the opportunity to present at different conferences in Europe, organised by the European Association for Computer Assisted Language Learning (EUROCALL). Being able to represent my country annually among participants from more than 50 countries is a great feeling for me. I am also the chair of the Graduate Studies Special Interest Group for EUROCALL.”

Further, Madden has been mentoring men — both younger and older — since his undergraduate years.

“I have noticed that many young men do not have a role model or father figure in their lives, who they can admire. Growing up, I had many questions I wanted to ask, but I could not find that outlet. I thought I could offer some guidance and authenticity to young men as they traverse different stages of development and have monumental decisions to make.”

And so, in 2019, Madden along with two friends created ROCK Care Foundation (Reaching Others through Compassion and Kindness).

“I am director of education and empowerment. Through my portfolio, I have provided financial, most of which comes from my own pocket, and academic support to high school and university students. I assist many of them with public speaking and writing techniques, as well as leadership tips, where necessary.”

The results, he said proudly, have been extraordinary.

“These young men have excelled tremendously in various areas of their lives. Three of them have served as head boy in their respective high schools and have performed well in academics and leadership. A number of them have completed their first degrees and are making an impact in their workplaces. Some have even got married and asked me to be their best man or their child’s godfather. Some have received scholarships to pursue their studies in prestigious universities overseas,” he said.