MOVERS & MAKERS 2018

Lina Zdruli is constantly on the move throughout the Middle East and North Africa, consulting for the World Bank in the Fragility, Conflict and Violence Group. She helped spark an entrepreneurship ecosystem in Rawabi, a planned city built as part of a Marshall Plan for the Palestinian economy, and also founded VRefugees, a project to create immersive virtual reality experiences that build empathy for refugees by putting the viewer in the shoes of someone fleeing Syria on the hazardous and sometimes deadly journey to Europe.

Most recently, Lina launched Dafero, an organic snack company operating in the private sector with a social mission. Dafero employs refugee women to make gluten-free snacks like their signature date spread (with almond butter and date-based brownies coming soon). Crucially, it also offers leadership and language training – vital skills for refugees who want to build livelihoods in their new home.