Urban Refuge Wins Crowdfunding Award, Charts Next Phase
In January 2026, the Pardee School’s Urban Refuge project was announced as the recipient of over $5,000 through BU Crowdfunding support!
Urban Refuge originated in 2016 as a classroom project developed by students in the “Forced Migration Policy Incubator” course taught by Dr. Noora Lori, Associate Professor of International Relations and Director of the Middle East–North Africa (MENA) Initiative. Rather than writing traditional policy memos, students were challenged to envision digital tools that could directly support refugees. Collaborating remotely with six Syrian and Jordanian peers in Amman, Pardee students developed an app designed to “put aid on the map” through a geocoded, user‑friendly platform that helps refugees locate essential services such as education, health care, legal assistance, housing, employment, and cash aid.
The resulting project, Urban Refuge (known as Daleel in Arabic), culminated in a pitch deck, an app blueprint, and a database of more than 200 organizations. By 2016, the team had raised nearly $18,000 from 181 donors through a BU Crowdfunding campaign. With pro bono support from Microsoft software engineers, the project’s first app prototype was developed in Fall 2016. In 2017, seed funding from BU’s Hariri Institute enabled an open-source version, while the BU Initiative on Cities provided early-stage research funding that supported faculty, students, and alumni in conducting fieldwork with nonprofit partners. This work expanded Urban Refuge’s network to Istanbul through collaborations with scholars and local organizations focused on urban displacement and access to aid.
Under the leadership of Raina Kadavil (BA IR ’18), who served as CEO for several years, Urban Refuge became a registered 501(c)(3) nonprofit, formalizing its mission, strengthening partnerships, and expanding operations. Since then, it has grown into a signature Pardee School initiative, engaging dozens of students and alumni over the years.
In a special Q&A, Urban Refuge’s current CEO Daria Kosack (BA IR ’25) shared insight into how this funding will continue their work:
How would you describe the crowdfunding efforts?
The campaign was both exciting and intense. Much of the work involved coordinating outreach across teams, building a clear narrative around our mission, and maintaining momentum throughout the 30-day period. It was very meaningful to see support come from across the BU community and beyond. Overall, it validated the fact that there is real demand for more accessible, centralized aid resources.
What has been Urban Refuge’s recent focus?
Over the past year, our focus has been on rebuilding and scaling Urban Refuge after a period of inactivity due to the COVID-19 pandemic. We’re currently working toward launching a functional, privacy-first website serving Boston and the Greater Area.
How will this award support your work?
The funds will directly support continued development and launch of our platform, including technical infrastructure, outreach efforts, and user onboarding. They also allow us to expand access to professional development resources, such as coding education platforms like Codecademy, for individuals who might not otherwise have access to these opportunities.
Ultimately, this support enables us to move from planning to implementation, ensuring that our work translates into tangible impact for the communities we aim to serve.
What can one expect to see from Urban Refuge in the near future?
Our primary milestone is the official launch of our Boston-based platform on May 11, 2026. In parallel, we are organizing community-based initiatives such as computer hardening workshops, neighborhood cleanups, and expanding partnerships to ensure the platform is both accessible and sustainable.
What makes Urban Refuge especially exciting is that it is student-led and interdisciplinary, bringing together students from across fields to address a complex, real-world problem. This past year has been a period of strong momentum for us. In addition to the crowdfunding campaign, we were honored with the APSIA Award for Inclusion, which reflects both the impact of our work so far and the potential for future growth.
Looking ahead, we’re excited about scaling beyond Boston. Our long-term goal is to expand Urban Refuge to other cities and build a model that can be adapted to different communities while maintaining a strong focus on privacy and accessibility.