Andhira Kara

Academic Mentor: Mark Whitlock, lecturer, MA in Conflict Negotiation, School of Professional Studies

Research Topic: How the Failure to Support Refugee-led Organizations Highlights Current Systems-level Shortcomings and Potential Avenues for Change

Columbia Global Center: Nairobi

Andhira Kara is a refugee advocate and researcher working with national and international organizations to improve the rights of migrants and displaced people. A refugee from Sudan, she now lives in Kenya and uses her experiences to advise and engage organizations and communities. Having co-founded a youth-led organization, she understands deeply the unique challenges faced by young leaders. Andhira is especially attuned to challenges faced by women leaders and girls in Africa and, more importantly, displaced woman.

Andhira works as a research consultant for both Ashden and ODI. Previously, she worked as a program coordinator at the Displaced and Refugee Youth Enabling Environment Mechanism project, where she supported partners in their inclusion of refugee youth in a scholars program. She also collaborated on a research project of the Local Engagement Refugee Research Network and the Refugee Studies Centre, University of Oxford, examining the nature and impact of refugee-led organizations in East Africa and the Middle East. She holds a degree in international studies from the University of Nairobi and a master's in international development from the University of Edinburgh.