Souhair Al Qaisi: Impossible is an opinion and not a fact

Dubai - One of the most recognisable television presenters in the Middle East, Souhair Al Qaisi, talks to City Times about her passion for journalism, charity and how she manages to keep her emotions separate from her work

Senior news anchor, TV presenter, goodwill ambassador, humanitarian, UN celebrity partner - sounds like Souhair Al Qaisi does it all. We'd be surprised if you didn't recognise her. Not only is Souhair currently the senior news anchor and TV presenter with the pan-Arab pioneer broadcasting group in the region, MBC group, but she's one of the youngest TV presenters to start with Al Arabiya TV in 2004. In fact, she first appeared on television when she was just eight years old!
During her time in Al Arabiya TV, Souhair gained a lot of momentum with audiences that in 2010 the New York Times praised her debate show Parliament Race which was the first election's debate show in Arab and Iraqi media.
Throughout her career Souhair has visited some of the most dangerous parts of Iraq to work on the field and see how people were living in almost unbearable conditions. One of the first UN partners to visit Mosul, the inspection she conducted really shone a light on the reality of displaced people in Iraq without proper sanitation, food and shelter.
It's been a real passion for Souhair to engage with people and motivate them through her visions. Inspired to do well for the people of her region, Souhair continues with passion to spread the message of love and peace to innocent kids and women.
How did you become a TV presenter and journalist?
My passion for journalism, for presenting, started when I was very young. I was a clever child at school and the teachers noticed that I was a good candidate for most school activities. So, from an early age, I knew my passion, I knew what I wanted to do. It all started when I was only eight years old. I did some shows for Iraqi TV and that was it.
Tell us about your typical day.
I am a very spiritual person. I wake up and I start my day with a simple, short meditation session. I thank God for what I have, I remember all the blessings that I have and all my activities start with this simple ritual. My day also ends in almost the same way. I like to speak to people that I love before I sleep and I also try to have a nice, simple meditation session before I sleep. I believe that all change starts from the inside. So, I always try to stay positive, as much as possible. Even when I have challenges in life, even when I am in pain - I like to accept my pain and work on improving my inner strength always.
Tell us about the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) in Iraq that you are part of.
I've been a celebrity partner with WFP United Nations for the last three years. My work with them started when I became the first journalist to visit when ISIS took over Mosul, Iraq. I was the first journalist to cover it, I went to Khanaqin at that time; and we helped some people there. I must say, it was dangerous because I had to go very close to the battle field in Khalar, Khanaqin. I also meet a lot of senior people from the United Nations, this was the start of my work with them. I am trying to raise awareness when it comes to what is needed in Iraq, also with Syrian refugees in Iraq. I am with them to raise awareness about hunger all over the world. As you know, WFP is the biggest and the largest institution to fight hunger in over 80 countries all over the world. So, my mission now is to be with my people in Iraq during hard times. I also want to bring more aid, more hope to these people, who are in need, giving them strength and belief. I am doing my best to make them happy, the people who are in need, who flee their homes, people who suffer, who are sitting in camps with the least human rights. All I want to do is be with them, give them hope and keep their strength high. I want to bring in as much aid as possible through raising awareness constantly.
Do you see yourself as a role model for Arab women in the region?
I think I worked hard to build my name and my name means nothing without a message. I always feel responsible, about how I should perform, how I should dedicate this name to my community, to my country, about how I can unite people by my name. So, I gave my name to serve higher and bigger purposes. Being a role model makes me happy, but my bigger goal is to serve humanity.
Who are some of your biggest role models? Icons from the world as well as personal ones from your life.
From my own personal life, my idol is my mother. My father passed away when I was very young,. She took care of the whole family alone. She was a single mom. A great woman. I have learnt from my mom how to love this world, how to love animals, how to give. The giving spirit that I carry, is passed on from her. The second idol is a woman from Mosul, whom I met in April. She had to take care and carry her family out of the city when Mosul was under attack. She ran away with her family; ISIS shot her son and he was wounded. She had to carry him as he was wounded. Her mom was on a wheelchair and they had many kids and she was responsible for taking them out of Mosul, walking without food and water for days, till they reached Hamam al Alil. She is my hero! She was sitting on the floor with all her family and she changed my life. I felt really small in front of her.
What would you say is your motto in life?
Impossible is an opinion and not a fact, Everything is possible with belief.
How do you think social media can help propel the work that you're trying to do?
Social media helped me a great deal. Because when I started to visit people who ran from the battle field, Internally displaced people (IDPs) - I mainly raised awareness through social media. I was surprised that T.V channels and typical media was not that helpful to me, to be honest. This is when I really wanted to raise awareness about the need of 3.2 million IDP in Iraq or the need of 600,000 Syrians in Iraq. The classic media didn't help me. I depended on my followers, I depended on my connections. I helped a lot of people through my Facebook page. I have a Facebook page with 2.3 million followers approximately, we are approaching 2.5 million and I have a lot of friends who helped me. Together we managed to help a lot of people through this channel, and when I launched my SnapChat, I created that account from the camps in Mosul, and around Mosul, in Iraq. It was also a great help. People started to follow the SnapChat and see how people were living. A lot of people wanted to help them. So surely, social media and my personal accounts were a great help for me and again, I was surprised by the classic media channels that we have, they didn't speak much about these people and their condition.
A lot of the work you do and have done seems emotionally draining. How do you cope with it? How do you keep your professionalism and emotions separate?
I do this by focus. If I leave myself to that painful side for long, I won't be able to perform. I won't be able to film when I go to these camps, I won't be able to raise awareness, raise money for the people or even give them what I have. I don't want to focus on the painful side, so I always focus on the belief that I give, on the hope that I give. I focus on how to solve the problem and not on the problem itself. So, I try to look at the bright side, doing all my best to even help them focus by talking to them, listening to them. I try to let them see the hope, or the fact that they are alive now, and they left the battle field safely. When I am with them, I try to shift their focus from the problems to the solutions. Many a times, I cry and I keep my tears inside me, not to show them, but stay strong, full of belief and hope.