Safaa Aldib
Safaa Aldib is a humanitarian worker and global development professional whose journey began in pharmaceutical research and evolved into a lifelong commitment to people and communities in crisis. Over the past decade, she has led multidisciplinary projects across the non-profit sector, using evidence-based approaches to drive social protection, resilience, and human rights initiatives in some of the world’s most fragile settings.
Today, as Program Director at Humanitarian Tracker, Safaa leads global innovation initiatives that harness AI and crowdsourcing to advance the UN Sustainable Development Goals. Through her work, hundreds of projects are supported, amplifying local voices and promoting ethical, inclusive use of technology in humanitarian action.
Before joining Humanitarian Tracker, Safaa worked with the International Committee of the Red Cross, the Danish Refugee Council, and The Amani Protection Lab, where she designed and implemented programs focused on economic security, education, and the protection of civilians. Her experiences across diverse regions have reinforced her belief that real change begins when research meets empathy, and when those directly affected by crises help shape the solutions.
Safaa holds a Master’s in Humanitarian Studies from the University of Geneva and the Graduate Institute of International and Development Studies, and a Bachelor’s in Biology and Biochemistry from Damascus University. Fluent in Arabic and English, and conversant in French and Hebrew, she brings cultural sensitivity and scientific rigor to her mission: bridging science, policy, and storytelling to build a more just and resilient world.
• Damascus University- Bachelor's
• University of Geneva- Master's
• The Center of Competence on Human Negotiations
What do you attribute your success to?
I attribute my journey to curiosity and passion — I’m always eager to learn and deeply committed to doing good in everything I pursue. Above all, I owe it to the one person who never left my side and inspired me to be better every day — my brother, my constant source of strength and faith, my God on earth, Sam. I’m not sure I would call myself successful, but I am certain that I am authentic and that I deliver results that bring success to individuals and organizations alike. To me, success means never ceasing to be useful — to your family, your community, your country, and to people everywhere. Many of those who truly make a difference may never appear on the front pages of “high achievers,” yet their mark on this world is indelible.
What’s the best career advice you’ve ever received?
You have a story worth telling. Speak it with courage, live it with pride, and never hide the light of who you are.
What advice would you give to young women entering your industry?
I believe each of us is the master of our own lifeline — guided, of course, by the universal magic that never ceases to surprise us. If there’s one piece of advice I could share with women and girls everywhere, it’s this: believe that everything is possible. Be yourself, and never stop learning. Things unfold in their own time and rhythm, yes, but we must always be ready to seize the moment — and shine.
What are the biggest challenges or opportunities in your field right now?
One of the biggest challenges in the humanitarian and non-profit sector today isn’t a lack of purpose — it’s the growing distance between the values we advocate for and the way we sometimes treat one another within our own professional spaces. Job ghosting, for instance, has become an unfortunate norm. For a sector built on empathy, accountability, and respect, silence can feel profoundly dissonant. We often speak of humanity, transparency, and inclusion, yet these ideals must start within our own organizations — in how we communicate, recruit, collaborate, and part ways. True impact begins with authenticity. I wish more people understood that being genuine — showing up with integrity, even in small gestures — is not a weakness but a return to balance. Nature has always modeled this for us: it renews itself in perfect harmony, without pretense, without ego. That, to me, is the path forward — one where our values are not only written in mission statements but reflected in our everyday actions.
What values are most important to you in your work and personal life?
At the heart of everything I do, I strive to stay authentic, never lose my sense of purpose, and continue learning — because growth, integrity, and meaning are what truly sustain both work and life.