Ummul Choudhury is the co-founder and CEO of Capoeira 4 Refugees, a multi award-winning charity supporting children and vulnerable women living in conflict zones in the Middle East.

Ummul talks about the power of using music and dance to overcome trauma, the importance of tech-enabled solutions and some limitations of the aid sector.

Perhaps most profound of all, though, Ummul gives a rare insight into how she has personally experienced and navigated the aid sector as a female and ethnic-minority CEO, which she describes as "a lonely place".

Ummul does not shy away from the difficult topics but also leaves us with a sense of hope. When talking about leading her charity, she says, “despite the roadblocks, I feel like we make miracles happen every day".


The Social Innovators Podcast is hosted by Naomi Whitbourn, an innovation manager at Nesta Challenges.

In this podcast, Naomi speaks to entrepreneurs and leaders developing innovative solutions to tackle global challenges.

You can follow us on:

• Twitter: @Soc_Innov_Comm
• Linked In: @Social Innovators Community

We'd also love to hear from you if you have any feedback or questions for our guests. Do get in touch at: social.innovators.pod@gmail.com

Please note: At the time of recording, the podcast was called the Voices of Development podcast. The audio content will reflect this.