As someone who understands some of the trials refugees experience, Lina Zdruli (MA’17) is determined to prove that the private sector can provide solutions for refugee employment. She wrote her MA thesis at Georgetown University on the topic. As a World Bank consultant, she analyzes this prospect and studies the potential risks involved. And as an entrepreneur, she’s putting her theory to the test. In 2018 she founded Dafero, a consumer food startup that employs refugee women to make healthy, organic snacks. Working out of a commercial kitchen, the women choose the best variety of dates to produce Dafero’s naturally gluten-free date spread. Through a partnership with the International Rescue Committee in Maryland, Dafero has access to a steady pipeline of refugee women ready to get to work. Read More