Episode 23

How technology can support refugees

We speak to Raj Burman (CEO) and Nowar Rahmouni (social media community builder and writer) of Techfugees

Every 10 seconds someone becomes a refugee. 82.4 million people worldwide were forcibly displaced by the end of 2020. This is forecast to grow to 1 billion people due to climate change over the next 3 decades. So how can technology help?

During the recent refugee crisis in Afghanistan we came across Techfugees, a nonprofit who develop technology “for and with” displaced people. Raj Burman (CEO) and Nowar Rahmouni (social media community builder and writer) discuss how refugees have many skills, including resilience, entrepreneurship and the ability to adapt to change quickly. It’s those personal qualities which mean they have much to offer the world of digital. And if you’re wondering how your leadership style needs to evolve with so much around us all in flux, Techfugees’ decentralised model with ‘servant leadership’ at its heart indicates what the nonprofit of the future may look like.

Paul and Zoe discuss how their use of social media has changed in the light of more revelations about big tech and have a question for you about the environmental impact of hybrid working.

Image credit: Syren Studios

Notes and links -

We discussed:

• Facebook article from Charity Digital

• Guardian article on Facebook whistleblowing

Email us with your questions and ideas for future episodes startsatthetop@gmail.com

And please leave us a review if you enjoy what you hear!

Editing and production from Syren Studios and Paul Thomas

Music by Joseph McDade https://josephmcdade.com/music