Big Ideas: “Connect people around the world directly with local doctors, nurses and aid workers in war-affected communities” with Dr. Rola Hallam of CanDo

As a part of my series about “Big Ideas That Might Change The World In The Next Few Years” I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr Rola Hallam.

Dr. Hallam is an award-winning consultant anaesthetist, humanitarian, human rights advocate and social entrepreneur. She is the first Syrian TED fellow and is regarded as a global thought leader; advocating for the cessation of civilian targeting in war zones, the upholding of medical neutrality, women’s rights and championing locally-led humanitarian action.

Rola pioneers a new vision for humanitarian aid delivery in war-zones, transforming the way the world supports and enables local humanitarians; her social enterprise CanDo channels resources where they have the biggest impact and can save the most lives: on the front lines, in local hands.

Thank you so much for joining us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

I was born a doctor. I have always known that was my calling but what I didn’t know was that my home country, Syria, would shatter into a thousand little pieces, tearing millions of lives apart and that I would be using my…