AMIRA ROUISSI

Amira Rouissi has four years in the nonprofit sector and holds a sociology bachelor degree from Tunis University and is preparing her thesis master.
She works in the Documentation and Research Department of the Applied Social Sciences Forum, a Tunisian think Tank. Recently she started working as a member of the team of a new project focusing on radicalism and prevention of violent extremism in Tunisia. She believes in Self-improvement and continuous learning.

“If we want, we can”

Q: TELL US A FEW THINGS ABOUT YOUR COUNTRY, AND ALSO YOUR LIFE'S STORY!

When I was a kid I thought that my country was heaven, I had never wished for a better life or another childhood. When I grew up, I had to face reality, life isn't that easy. The dreams I made crash on the wall of the tough world.

I was not born with a silver spoon in the mouth, should I give up? No, because my parents didn't raise me to give up easily. I believe that it's my right to dream and to try and to fall and stand up and retry again. To be honest, I still have moments of doubt and weakness but I'm trying to do my best, to get one step behind and to be a good example to be followed by the youngest.

Q: WHAT IS YOUR VIEW OF THE WORLD AS IT IS TODAY? AND HOW DO YOU DEFINE THE CONCEPT OF A BETTER WORLD?

I think due to technology the world has become really a small village, but with different classes - we can find producers, consumers, and even ignorant; a small village with real different social classes. What is really interesting here is that now we are opened to the whole world we can know better about other societies and we can benefit from the experiences of others by looking for perfect opportunities.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE KEY CHALLENGES IN YOUR SOCIETY?

I think that equality is the most important key challenge: by this, I mean socioeconomic equality, education equality, leisure equality, gender equality... If we want to stand up for our society we need to feel and be really equal in rights and duties.

Q: AS A YOUNG INDIVIDUAL WHAT ARE A FEW OF THE HURDLES THAT YOU HAD TO OVERCOME UP UNTIL TODAY?

I had to deal with pessimistic people - those who do not encourage you to move on, to face the reality and the real world and sometimes to swim against the current. As a young woman, I was struggling to make my way by myself and to prove to my entourage that, if we want we can.

Q: WHY IS THE ROLE OF A MENTOR IMPORTANT FOR YOU?

I needed someone with a success story to take my hand to guide me with some recommendations based on his/ her career, to be open to other's experience and have the chance to be heard and guided by someone with a different point of view, culture and a different reality.

Q: DO YOU HAVE A LESSON THAT LIFE HAS TAUGHT YOU AND YOU WOULD LIKE TO SHARE?

I used to live for the others, be there when they needed me and hide my weakness and my illness to not make anyone feel uncomfortable. I used to be a candle that consumes itself to light the way for others. I do not regret any of my sacrifices for my family, my friends or anyone else, I will only blame myself for the incapability. I am thankful for being a source of joy and a rock for others.

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!

There are local NGOs like Afreecan, UniVersElle; Khalil Tunis, Aswat Nisaa, PHéNIX Sidi Bourouis.

As for the person, a big up to Mr. Mohamed Oussama Houij and Mr. Maher KHalifi.

Q: WHAT ARE SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT WOMEN IN YOUR COUNTRY FACE AND WHAT EFFORTS ARE MADE TOWARDS GENDER EQUALITY?

There is a lack of equality for women of different classes (worker women, rural women and single mothers).

Q: SHARE WITH US A PHRASE, A POEM OR A STORY THAT YOU LOVE OR YOU FIND INTERESTING!

Be the change that you wish to see in the world, be the girl who decided to go for it.

Q: TELL US ONE THING THAT YOU HAVE LEARNED FROM YOUR MENTOR.

If you can't take care of yourself you won't be able to take care of others, learn to say no and to have a self-time.