Çisem Kaço from Türkiye is the YES Student of the Month
On July 26th, eight YES alumni attended a Q&A session organized by the U.S. Embassy in Tunis. John Register, a U.S. Paralympic silver medalist and person with a disability, was the host of the event. John is a Paralympic swimmer, sprinter, and long jumper, and spoke about his experiences as a veteran, amputee, and athlete.
Maissem Fligene ‘24 said, “The speaker highlighted the importance of disability rights in general. I did not know the depth of this topic until I heard the story of John Register. He went from being a veteran to an amputee, and then a Paralympic silver medalist. He has also led various disability rights projects. From his story, I realized that we, as YES alumni and change makers, can start initiating ideas and projects to address this problem in Tunisia. I also learned from other participants at the event that organizations in Tunisia are advocating for people with disabilities by addressing the challenges, voicing people’s demands, providing psychological and social support, adopting effective programs, and ensuring that people with disabilities have equal opportunities. As YES alumni who are eager to implement projects for disabled people in Tunisia, this event motivated us to collaborate with these organizations. So, the event was also a great opportunity for us to network with other groups addressing this matter in Tunisia.”
As for Adem Aouinet ’24, he was extremely touched when Mr. Register spoke about how he and his wife overcame adversity, stating, 'We'll get through this together; this is simply our new normal.”
As recent returnees, YES alumni have been excited to engage in the YES community in Tunisia. By observing the dynamics of the network, exploring the opportunities they are eligible for, and identifying their communities 'needs, the recent alumni are beginning their journey in deploying what they learned during their exchange year through youth-led projects and contributing to the betterment of their communities.
Maissem Fligene (YES 2023-2024, Tunisia, placed by PAX in Lebanon, MO)
Adem Aouinet (YES 2023-2024, Tunisia, placed by ACES in Morenci, MI)