AMIRA GOUASMI

Amira is an early career professional with a diverse background in the fields of education, technology, and community building. Previously, she worked as a marketing fellow and an English language teacher, and she is currently working in the Department of Business Development and Communication in her company. She has recently obtained a Master's degree in English Literature and Civilization, which has sparked her interest in learning more about art, history, literature, philosophy, and the sphere of humanities in general.

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Q: Tell us a few things about you! Your background, your childhood and early beginnings! 

As a child, I was demure and shy, who spoke less and listened more. I used to live in my bubble having unrealistic dreams. Every vacation, I used to imitate roles, for example, sometimes I used to play a role of a French teacher, a journalist, a doctor, an administrative assistant, and every afternooon, I used to take care of my own company. I called it ELJAWHARA COMPANY, it was a real estate company. As a child, I was a dreamer and I used to think of myself as a heroine of my own life.

Q: What are some of the key challenges in your society currently?

There is one current challenge that deeply connects with me, which is the increasing rate of youth unemployment. Unemployment has different causes and serious consequences. But I am more focused on the necessity of community initiatives related to skills development for youth which will serve as a transition from academia to the professional world. I care about it particularly as it is the case of most graduates in my country and city including me in the past, my classmates and my friends. Now, I cannot help but relate and empathise with the graduates who are struggling to find a job and opportunities because back then I was feeling like I was falling behind, lost and unsure of the future and what it holds for me. In fact, this experience scared me profoundly because I have always held a big vision for myself, but I did not know where to start and what to do, and the only thing I was looking for was guidance. Now, after I managed to successfully secure a job and find both myself and my vision, I want to offer the same and help other students in their last year and recent graduates in my community experience the same. I want to guide Algerian youth by helping them believe in themselves, their future and their real potential. To be precise, I have had this goal since 2023 when I participated in a TOT training of the 21st Century soft skills by World Learning Algeria. Later, I volunteered to lead a training session for youth in the school I worked at. Last fall, I also volunteered to deliver the same training to participants as a former member of the community project WE 2 Annaba. After every session, I had a feeling that I can give a lot to my community and why not the world, that is why I believe that I will thrive by helping other people thrive.

Q: Share with us some of the hurdles that you had to overcome in your life so far? How did you handle them? 

One of the hurdles that I had to overcome is not believing in myself. I used to look down on myself and  be negative which stopped me from going for my full potential . For many years, I stopped myself from applying for things just because I thought that I was not good enough. Eveytime I failed, I would tell myself, you can never be good enough and that became a haunting thought for me. I won't say that I handled it totally, but I am taking concrete actions to prove myself to myself. Everytime I think that I will fail or I am not good enough, I push myself to do it,to show myself that I can be good too. It is a constant struggle that I am trying to overcome and every journey is helping me better believe that.

Q: Why is the role of a mentor important for you? 

This question is inspirational because my mentorship means a significant amount to me. Having a mentor is similar to that guiding light in the dark of the tunnel, it guides you towards the right path when you are lost. At the same time, it gives you confidence that you should keep going until you reach the end. It is someone who believes you when you do not even believe in yourself, and someone who guides you towards the Kaizen journey of preaching for excellence and improvement.

Q: Do you have a lesson that life has taught you and you would like to share? 

Yes, life has taught me to treat others the way I wanted to be treated. I was bullied before both verbally and physically. I was bullied since my first year of primary school until my last year of high school because of the way I looked, my teeth and my sensitivity. It was a harsh experience for me as a kid and a teenager especially as I have been hit by girls my age many times, and I was fooled by others since I used to believe everything others said to me. That experience could have turned me into a careless monster or a bully myself, instead, I chose to be kind for no reason because we can never know what others go through so I wanted to share love and kindness in the world. Another lesson was to forgive and get over the past, all are lessons, and the more we are tied to the past and the pain, we can never move forward. So it is important to forgive and forget to be happy. One last one is to never take anything in this life for granted especially health. When one gets sick in bed, and becomes unable to do anything to save oneself; then, you will start understanding the importance of health. This applies to dear people in our lives and blessings that we have that we are not even grateful or aware of.

Q: Name a project, a foundation or a person in your country that you think is doing great work in helping improve other people's lives! 

Selma Mouloudj, such an inspirational woman that I look up to with high regards. She has been an active volunteer for +10 years. She has founded many programmes targeting challenges that youth face in Algeria. She has managed to make an impact on +100 mentees with her community solutions. For than 6 years, she has been an inspiration for me and I wish to have an impact in my community just like her.

Q: What are some of the challenges that women in your country face and what efforts are being made towards gender equality?

Women face a lot of social challenges, but one important challenge is not having the opportunity to be heard. Women's voices are not heard and often discriminated by gender inequality. Another universal challenge for third world countries is that women in rural areas are forbidden from basic rights like education and going to school.

Q: Share with us a motto you live by. 

1. Hold the vision, trust the process

2. Be kind for no reason

3. Give to the world what you wanted and needed to be given.

Q: If you had all the money needed to launch the project of your dreams, can you describe what you would do? 

I would launch skills-based initiative focused on equipping all youth around the world especially unemployed ones with multi-dimensional training around skills- development, finding opportunites and applying for them. Then, placing them in national and international organisations as part of traineeship. It's a project that I aspire to implement which help the youth to reach their full potential.

Q: How is technology utilised for social impact in your country? For example are there mobile apps that support gender equality, inclusion, understanding of cultures?

Actually in my society, this is an issue. Projects based on technology in relation with the scope of social impact are almost inexistent. For now, the only projects founded are only within the scope of media, including podcasts, tv shows, social media campaigns or programmes, nothing more.

Q: Anything else that you may wish to add?

I love the questions, they are reflective and answering them makes you understand several things. Thank you for your efforts and dedication to drive impact and help people.