Shakira Iman

A Syrian refugee turned tech innovator creating life-saving apps for displaced communities

Shakira Iman (b. 1992) is a Syrian-born software engineer whose apps have helped over 500,000 refugees access critical services. Fleeing the Syrian war at age 16, she learned coding in Lebanon's refugee camps and later earned a scholarship to study computer science in Germany. Her first major project, RefugeeHelp, provides real-time information on asylum procedures, medical services, and education opportunities in multiple languages.

Shakira's most impactful creation is MigrantGuard, an AI-powered app that warns users of dangerous smuggling routes and connects them with legal aid. This app has prevented countless tragedies along the Mediterranean migration routes. She also co-founded Code for Humanity, a nonprofit training displaced youth in digital skills.

Her work has been recognized by the European Parliament's Digital Rights Award and the UNHCR's Innovation Prize. Shakira continues to advocate for tech solutions to humanitarian crises while developing apps focused on mental health support and education access for displaced populations.