Nadia Chtoi is Tunisia’s first female kickboxing coach, a sport that was long male-dominated in her southern Tunisian Governorate of Kebili. Every day, she trains tens of young men who have chosen her as their coach although it was at first nearly impossible to convince them to do so.
Though only 23, Chtoi has succeeded in working her way into this sport and form a brilliant team that has won six national competitions.
Nadia Chtoi is Tunisia’s first female kickboxing coach, a sport that was long male-dominated in her southern Tunisian Governorate of Kebili. Every day, she trains tens of young men who have chosen her as their coach although it was at first nearly impossible to convince them to do so.
Though only 23, Chtoi has succeeded in working her way into this sport and form a brilliant team that has won six national competitions.
Chtoi was luckily encouraged by her family, who allowed her to leave Kebili to study kickboxing in Tunis. People outside of her family, however, were astonished that someone of her delicate stature could perform this relatively violent sport. “I love to be different,” says Chtoi. “It gives me much happiness.”
Mona Tabbal, 24, won the best 52kg boxer title in Tunis and ranked fifth internationally then she became a boxing coach and referee.
Tabbal was brought up in an athletic family, which helped her overcome some social obstacles – her father is a former soccer player, and her husband is a sports coach.
Attitudes towards women in traditionally male-dominated professions have changed in Kebili, says social worker Wahiba Ben Mansour. She believes mentalities have improved, making families more open-minded and aware of women’s rights and encouraging women to work. “Although southern Tunisian society is conservative, customs and traditions in Kebili respect women and hold them in high esteem, which gives them ample freedom and emboldens in their choice of work.”
No job too hard
Nuha Hamadi, 33, drives a 4×4 loaded with construction materials across parts of Kebili’s frighteningly silent desert area under the scorching heat where temperatures reach as high as 50 degrees Celsius.
Her pregnancy has not been an issue as she leads projects in the contracting company she owns. She is especially keen to deliver the contracted work on time to gain the confidence of her clients and improve her reputation.
Although her perseverance has won her the trust of many clients, she complains of the way some men look at her. “My job is detested by many men who view women as weak creatures unable to do such contracting work,” she says.
What is more important for her, however, is her husband’s acceptance and appreciation of her career, which has encouraged her to start a commercial project that has won her the confidence of many clients in both the public and private sectors and has also created new jobs.
Replacing and supporting men
Zahra Abbas, a fashion designer who works as a bus driver in Kebili Governorate due to a lack of job opportunities in her field, says many men are surprised why some women have started working in male-dominated occupations.
She underlines that in the beginning most of her fellow-citizens did not like boarding a bus driven by a woman. Only a few men expressed words of respect and admiration towards her.
Bushra Obeid, 34, is head of the stone production unit at an Italian factory in her city. She says many consider working in quarries stand against women’s nature and physiological structure.
More than once, Obeid faced harassment by her male colleagues who did not like being led by a woman. “Those around me could not accept my climbing of mountains and engagement in stone cutting work,” she says. “What do they want me to do to earn a living? I have to carry on with this hard work to make ends meet, especially since my husband is a day labourer and what he earns is not enough to lead a decent life.”
