CanDo International

Who we are

CanDo is a start-up social enterprise that transforms the way the world supports war-affected communities.

Inadequate resourcing of local humanitarian organisations is preventing millions of people from receiving life-saving aid, causing excessive suffering and unnecessary deaths around the globe. Research and our experience of working with local humanitarians in war-torn Syria led us to realise that while they deliver 75% of the humanitarian work, they receive less than 1% of direct funding.

CanDo is mobilising a global community to resource local humanitarians to lead agile, effective, cost-efficient health interventions. Our crowdfunding platform is pioneering people-to-people aid by connecting local humanitarians with global citizens, philanthropists and strategic partners who will support their health projects.

Our founder and CEO, Dr Rola Hallam, is regarded as a global thought leader. She is an advocate for the protection of civilians and the upholding of medical neutrality, the localisation of humanitarian aid and women’s rights. Rola is the first Syrian TED fellow and her talk has had over 1m views. volunteers.

Our Mindset

We believe in working for change with Optimism, Courage, Connectedness, Pioneering and Openness. Our values shape our relationships with all our stakeholders and how we work as a team. We approach each other with open hearts and minds; we listen, we respond, we support and encourage. We love a good sense of humour and positivity, and a willingness to get involved and go the extra mile.