As the first Brinser Fund recipient, Anil Raj is extremely thankful for the fund and for the opportunity that he was given.

The Brinser Fund is for Humanitarian Assistance in honor of Chester Lee Brinser III. As an alumnus of the Josef Korbel School of International Studies, Chester was devoted to a life of helping others. The fund in his name is given to a student who too exemplifies the principles of humanitarianism.

Anil received the funding to further his hands-on work in an international internship after demonstrating a commitment towards and participation in the Humanitarian Assistance Program.

Anil was inspired to apply for an internship with the Burma Lawyer's Council after he worked as a Burma Country Specialist for Amnesty International--USA. He earned the internship position, and in the winter interterm of 2008, Anil went to Mae Sot, Thailand.

Anil assisted the Burma Lawyer's Council by working in evidence collecting. Specifically, he spent the majority of his time with criminal accountability via the International Criminal Court, and he also worked with constitutional reform. While he spent time looking at previous conflict in detail and what impacted previous interventions, Anil found further inspiration from the moments spent teaching English to young children.

"I was able to see how these children just wanted the basic necessities in life, and it made me reevaluate my life and what I want to do with it."

Winter 2009 is Anil's final quarter, but he plans on devoting his career to post conflict peace building, transitional justice, and criminal accountability.

Burma remains on his mind as he says, "I will never forget the experience, and it's still unfolding in ways I have yet to see. I would love to go back."

For more information on the Brinser Fund, please see http://portfolio.du.edu/haprog.