About the Program:

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We offer remote internship programs for high school and university students each semester. Our past interns joined our team to aid in research, content development, and outreach.

Our ongoing relationship with the Asian University for Women (AUW) in Chittagong, Bangladesh has connected us with interns who have first-hand experience with the local refugee crisis. The majority of the interns have an interest in public health, education programming, and women’s health.

Our past interns are from:

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Afghanistan | Australia | Bangladesh | Myanmar | Singapore | Syria | USA

Thoughts from our interns

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Sara Hasan – Assistant for Syrian Coloring Book Project

During my internship with Books Unbound, I had the opportunity to conduct research on my Syrian culture, traditions, landmarks, and historical elements to incorporate into the coloring book. I have collaborated with a team to develop engaging illustrations that represent the rich heritage and diversity of Syria. This coloring book can serve as a tool to foster empathy, promote cross-cultural understanding, and provide a positive outlet for children’s creativity. And even though I am from Syria and aware of the culture and traditions, this internship helped me in knowing many deep things I didn’t know about Syria before. 

During my internship, I gained valuable insights into the refugee education experiences like the cultural context of Syria and the challenges faced by refugees in preserving their culture and identity while adapting to new environments, the importance of cultural sensitivity and representation in educational materials, accessing quality education, and the importance of trauma-informed approaches in supporting refugee children’s educational needs.

Throughout this internship, I have had the opportunity to learn about the methodologies, processes, and values that this organization embraces. I have learned about the cultural sensitivity and representation by understanding and respecting the culture, traditions, and experiences of the Syrian community that have been emphasized throughout the project.  Also, I have seen the importance of creativity in education. Moreover, given the focus on refugee education, Books Unbound’s emphasis on empathy and empowerment would have been prominent, and understanding the unique challenges faced by refugee children and striving to create resources that foster empathy, understanding, and empowerment aligns with the values of social justice and equal educational opportunities.

Finally, based on my experience with Books Unbound, there have been some aspects that have revealed my strengths and provided insights into my future career aspirations. As a research assistant, I engaged in gathering information, conducting research, and analyzing data related to Syrian culture. I found joy and fulfillment in these tasks, and I found out that I have skills and interest in research and analysis, which for me indicates a potential future career path in fields such as education research, cultural studies, or social research.

Also, working on a project focused on refugee education has made me realize my empathy and passion for social justice. And I really enjoyed collaborating with other interns from very different backgrounds and supervisors who were motivating and guiding us throughout this internship.