By Auz Momin
Every year thousands of people across the globe go missing due to war, natural disasters, and migration. This causes uncertainty, fear and stress for their families and communities. Dima Aldera, the founder of Findsuri, “understands the pain of wondering where a missing family member is and waiting to hear news of their wellbeing.”
Dima was born in Hama, Syria, and relocated to Canada as a Syrian refugee with her family. She is a graduate of Conestoga College’s Graphic Design program and is also an avid artist specializing in oil paintings. As part of her final year capstone project, and with the support of Conestoga College’s Venture Lab, Dima launched Findsuri as a non-profit organization that serves as a platform for Syrian families searching for missing loved ones. Currently, there are more than 500 cases registered on the Findsuri site, with 21 solved thus far and 7 fraudulent attempts to exploit the families of the missing persons prevented, thanks to the vigilant efforts of Dima and a team of volunteers.
Findsuri, the newest addition to the Grebel Peace Incubator, focuses on helping Syrians who have lost contact with family members. Findsuri is an online platform where people can share relevant information to assist families in their search, while keeping a strong emphasis on the personal privacy and digital security of all. This is very important because many Syrians have resorted to using public forums and social media platforms that leave them vulnerable to exploitation. “I am proud that this site respects the privacy of the families who are searching for loved ones, unlike other sites where contact information is posted. This feature ensures that families who are already vulnerable, do not fall prey to scammers and fraudsters.” explained Dima.
Findsuri has received significant local media coverage, including a cover story in the Waterloo Region Record and a CBC Radio interview, and Dima has been nominated for a number of awards for her work. In addition to the Grebel Peace Incubator, Findsuri is currently being supported by Communitech and the Conestoga College Entrepreneurship Collective.
Dima is motivated to expand her efforts to include those missing due to the devastating conflicts caused by war in contexts beyond Syria. In the future, she hopes to expand her efforts to countries in conflict such as Iraq, Afghanistan, Sudan, and Ukraine. Dima also hopes to establish strategic partnerships with local organizations in Greece, including hospitals, morgues, and forensic scientists. Through these collaborations, she aims to proactively address the pressing concern of unidentified bodies and contribute to enhancing the identification and resolution processes associated with such cases. Learn more about Dima’s mission and how you can support it.