INTERVIEW WITH A VOLUNTEER

Interviewer : Syrine Landolsi

Interviewee : El Rhdioui Rachida

1_ Can you introduce yourself to us?

My name is Rachida and I am a Moroccan Tunisian Undergraduate English student and young activist based in Tunis.

I consider myself a global citizen as I have a sense of belonging to all countries with their cultures and identities.

I am an ambitious human rights advocate with professional and humanitarian experiences along national and international organizations.

I aspire to the highest and truest self through self-actualization and awareness.

I am a fan of yoga and meditation as a refuge to cope with my mental health illness and ensure stability and balance.

2_Could you tell us about how you heard about the MENA Initiative and what drove you to apply as a volunteer?

The MENNA Initiative is one of the reasons behind my yoga and meditation. I chose to discover and embrace its vision to support and raise awareness among youth about their mental illnesses. The same reason drove me to take part as a volunteer once I saw the announcement on Facebook group.

3_Could you tell us what your favorite session among the speaker sessions was and why?

Overall, I enjoyed all the sessions as they provided personal development and enlightenment on all levels.

Among the speaker sessions, I enjoyed the session with Touqa Salhi who has inspired me with her style of delivering information about mental health causes and solutions.

As I have learned from everyone , I guess the speaker has successfully impacted me and created a vibrant atmosphere during the whole session.

4_ Did you develop any new perspective during the project ?

I have deepened the perspective I have about social media and mental health issues.

Most importantly, I have become more aware of the drawbacks of social media on me and on the people who may follow me.

Leaving social media while having mental health issues will definitely support me through the healing process.

5_What are the new values you learned through this series of webinars ?

Through all webinar sessions, I have learned a lot of values including; Teamwork and the spirit to work together for the cause we believe in, the spirit of opening up to people and telling my true story, and also active listening to other stories and perspectives.

All these values and more have enlarged my sphere of knowledge and deepened my awareness regarding multiple issues.

6_What is your final word for MENA region youth to encourage them to apply for the next project with the initiative ?

I enjoyed the experience in both volunteering and participating. I also loved how multiple friends have supported the initiative and got impacted by it.

I made the most of this opportunity and I can't be more excited to embark on another journey along the MENNA Initiative in the future.

I guess it is high time to take part in such initiatives because we still go through issues due to the impact of Covid19 and social pressure. I guess it would be beneficial for many of you to break your insecurities, open up, and share your stories along unique spirits and learn from the workshops.