The Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) Project increases access to educational programs for refugees. By providing gender equitable teacher training programs to working and untrained teachers, BHER contributes to community development and improves overall access to economic, employment, and decision making opportunities. BHER’s training program was uniquely developed to deliver onsite and on-line courses which meet international standards and are offered via joint efforts with partner organizations. BHER students earn certificates and diplomas at each level of study and may ‘stack’ their achievements as they work to earn degrees.
In 2017, I worked as a remote research assistant with the Borderless Higher Education for Refugees (BHER) Project. My role required me to manage communications with global team members in Canada, Kenya, and Somalia. I spearheaded independent research on relevant practices and potential partner programs abroad while also recommending operation strategies and proposing funding opportunities to BHER administration teams. Through the research, statistics, and references gathered, I created briefing materials and education mapping spreadsheets for locations including Dadaab, Kakuma, and Mogadishu. The information I compiled culminated in a fifteen page briefing book, to be shared with the greater BHER community – from field volunteers to executive staff – in an effort to familiarize teams with situational overviews, best practices, and program priorities.