Digital Literacy, Tech Support, and Language Lab
2016-Present
Digital literacy is very important for refugees to get things done, and to learn independently. Our leadership has partnered with local charities to distribute tech, and teach our commuty basics and offer support. Our recent partnership with MATC brought over 20 computers and high-speed internet connectivity in our classrooms. We hope that MATC is able to add instructional support to our growing partnership soon.
Current & Past Projects

Religious Services
2016-Present
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Religious Services are at the core of day-to-day activities at BRCW REC Center / Masjid Al-Taqwa, that include; daily prayer, afterschool programs, birth to death ceremonial services, holiday events, and cross collaboration with local Muslim organizations in the name of charity and broadening communal ties.
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Interpreting, Translating, and Transcribing
2015-Present
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A very large portion of our work involves a variety of settings serving Burmese and Rohingya individuals and families with their immediate needs and beyond. BRCW staff has performed thousands of hours of interpreting as volunteers, and also seeks short, and long-term paid working partnerships.

ICNA Relief
2017-Present
Our long-term partner provides culturally appropriate food donations during religious holidays as well as other donations like backpacks filled with school supplies ahead of the school year. Our partnerships broadened when ICNA became a permanent fixture, establishing an office within the BRCW REC Center and opening its first regularly-stocked food pantry.

Volunteer Health Teams / Student Cohorts
2017-Present
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Volunteer Health Teams include medical professionals and students serving immediate health needs in the Burmese refugee community. Projects include; screening and immunization events, mental health and trauma informed care, creating protocols for citizenship medical waiver, compiling and vetting available Burmese/Rohingya resources and videos and making them available to both medical workers and the pan-Burmese community.​
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ReRite Refugee w/UWM & Marquette Students
2024-Present
A twice weekly after school program pairing students from Universities with Rohingya elementary and middle school students at our community center. This program represents our first successful young adult mentorship and tutoring program. Bringing some of our brightest young minds together in our community centric education model.
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Rohingya (Rohingyalish) Literacy Education Programs
2021-Present
Focused on developing Rohingya writing systems and creating learning materials, our longstanding partnerships with International Literacy and Development (ILAD) and Books Unbound has seen the production of print and video Rohingya language content and materials. These efforts are providing real world use-cases teaching Rohingya that can help save the Rohingya language from extinction.

English & Citizenship Classes
2018-Present
English language acquisition is incredibly important for resettled Burmese refugees. Our English & Citizenship programs feature our own curriculum and programs and we host partner organization to offer classes at BRCW REC Center. Community Center for Immigrants (CCI) currently hosts well-attended basic & intermediate English literacy and citizenship classes in our classrooms.

Sesame Workshop, Rohingya Project
2020-2023
Our partnership began in 2020 after the pandemic onset stifled Sesame’s plans to create Rohingya episodes with their partners abroad. We were able to provide alternative avenue to perform outreach, content testing, cultural advice, and language services resulting in the production of over 140 Rohingya language videos several children's books/workbooks.




Literacy Services of Wisconsin (LSW)
2021-2023
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LSW was our first local ESL partner after we purchased and launched BRCW REC Center in 2021. They provided funding to renovate our classrooms, adding key learning tools and furnishings, creating an excellent atmosphere. LSW leadership also designed and created a pre-literate curriculum for Rohingya and held classes at our center once pandemic restrictions were lifted. We look forward to resuming and building on our working relationship in the future.

Dynamic Education (DynEd)
2015-Present
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Our staff is trained to teach, and train teachers and admins to use DynEd’s comprehensive English Language Software Suite. This powerful courseware can provide supplementary, or even primary ESL instruction to Rohingya families. Appropriate for any age or level, BRCW intends to raise funding to add DynEd to its recently finished language lab.
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COVID-19 Pandemic Response
2020-2022
BRCW responded to the pandemic by creating and sharing timely and important information and broad instructions by creating emergency videos shared on social media. We supported parents and students by offering Zoom classes, 200+ Headset and PC distribution ahead of remote school year, and placed UWM early childhood teachers with Rohingya families for tutoring and supporting kids during this transition.

Wisconsin Department of Health
2021-2023​
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During the COVID-19 pandemic, BRCW was able to secure to perform Immunization Outreach via Health Department grants and continued to do so until 2023 when funding ran out. During these years, we help vaccination events, created messaging and content and performed various forms of outreach to our difficult to reach community. Our efforts led to Anwar being awarded the 2022 Wisconsin Immunization Champion Award.

Hanan Refugee Relief
2019-2023​
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BRCW and Hanan's Milwaukee chapter were formed in the same year (2016), having grown up together we valued a general partnership in charitable & religious support programs, primarily helping our community with food and school supply donations. We hope to build on our work during our formative years as we continue to perform work in similar spaces, but where Hanan became the newest State contracted resettlement organization, we understand they are taking on more responsibilities and can't show bias toward CBO's like BRCW.

Milwaukee Public, Charter, and Private Schools
2020-Present
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Schools are often the most consistent place Rohingya receive services, as such we understand the importance of building a strong relationship with Milwaukee Public Schools and individual schools within the district. Our efforts began during the pandemic when we made a how-to video for MPS Chromebook distribution in Rohingya. We work with several MPS schools, where we speak to staff, share resources, provide contextualized orientation, feedback, and other support as needed.

2020 US Census
2020
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Our very first grant award came in the form of a mini grant from Hmong American Women's Association and from Asian Americans Advancing Justice. We began by doing Census outreach in our traditional ways - typically in-person and often home visits. The pandemic onset changed everything and we had to change our plans to digital media and by creating how-to and informational videos.
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Rohingya Backgrounder
2022-2023
Our working partnership with Cultural Orientation Resource Exchange (CORE) & International Rescue Committee (IRC) began in late 2022 when our staff accepted a writing consultancy to compose the ‘Rohingya Backgrounder’. The project was completed in May, 2023, the short and long versions are available to view or download.
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Global Initiatives & Academia
2016-Present
At BRCW we engage with students and researchers interested in collaborating with us. These projects vary in scope and size, but share the common trait of raising awareness of, and including the necessary planning and critical thought to address aspects of Rohingya culture.

Genocide in Context; Protecting Genocide Survivors Through Refugee Resettlement
2021-2022
We joined Hebrew Immigrant Aid Society (HIAS) and the US Holocaust Memorial Museum & the Holocaust Education Resource Center (HERC) for virtual workshops Comparing Rohingya Genocide with the Holocaust and Rwanda. We also collaborated on 'Protecting Victims of Genocide through Resettlement' panel discussion.
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Human Rights Reporting and Legal Framework
2017-Present
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Human Rights Violations Reporting and Legal Framework Support with our friends at the International Investigative Mechanism for Myanmar (IIMM) - a UNHCR program of international legal professionals that conduct rights abuse reporting for Rohingya. We support this work as it is among the largest scale and most credible evidence collection mechanism and legal framework working towards Rohingya genocide redress.

Public Speaking
2016-Present​
​BRCW responds to calls for service and opportunities to speak about Rohingya and refugee affairs. Our leadership has presented in many places of worship, government, and academic institutions since beginning our work in 2016.
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Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department
2022-2023​
Our partnership with Milwaukee County Sheriff's Department began with friendly introduction with their community liaison and an invitation to present as guest lecturer at the Milwaukee County Sheriff's Cadet Academy in 2022, and 2023. We also asked the Sheriff's Department to assist us in completing security assessments at our Center, including CPTED surveys, infrastructure hardening, and contextualized training.

AAPI Coalition Of Wisconsin
202o-Present​
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In May 2020, BRCW joined AAPI Coalition of Wisconsin as one of the founding organization members, and joined its working teams. Born out of the rise in Anti-Asian hate in the early pandemic onset, AAPI Coalition set out to combat hatred and promote AAPI unity and cross collaboration across the State. As executive committee contributors, our members focused on writing and editing, mission and digital media.

Sojourner Family Peace Center & Milwaukee Police Department Dialogue on Domestic Violence
2018-2019
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Our first DV event featured law enforcement, DV specialists, and had interpreters translating in real time for our Rohingya participants. The event covered difficult topics ranging from marriage and domestic laws and related legal concerns and in navigating cultural differences. Our guest speakers presented and we held a Q&A, which was provocative, but needed.

Burmese Muslim Networking Conference
2018-Present
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BRCW participated and presented at the Inaugural Burmese Muslim Networking Conference and participated in following conferences as well. This conference links Burmese Muslim communities across the United States with representatives coming from over two dozen states nationally. Our friends in Fort Wayne Indiana hosted the first Conference, and now own and operate the largest Burmese Community Center in the United States.

Catholic Charities
2018-Present
Catholic Charities among our oldest friends in Milwaukee, Catholic Charities has been a cornerstone aid agency in Milwaukee for generations. BRCW leadership has participated in their Refugee Community Advisory Board (RCAB) over a period of years. We also commend their agency in creating excellent Rohingya and Burmese language informational content, which we have added to our youtube playlists for our Burmese community to access.

Asian Americans Advancing Justice AAJC
2018-2019
Our partnership with AAJC began when we performed 2020 Census outreach work via mini-grant funding. We continued our relationship with regular contact and exploring ways for our organizations to work together. We contributed to their Digital Literacy Convening, where we explored the digital divide in the Rohingya community. Some of this work has been published: the "Rohingya and the Digital Divide"

Welcoming Week
2018-2021
YMCA of Metropolitan Milwaukee was among the first local charitable organizations to partner with BRCW on a multi-pronged "Welcoming Week" program that included publicity, a winter clothing drive, and collaboration with our volunteers to create the first pan community event after we leased our first office in 2018. We were able to facilitate over a ton of donations, and over 100 winter jackets, among other physical donations. We also participated in another Welcoming Week with the AAPI Coalition, joining a webinar showcase with AAPI leaders around the state.
Culture & Academia: University & High School Projects

Bard College; Rohingya Cultural Memory & Digital Archives Project
2024-2025​
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This project included the complete redesign of this website and added considerable media troves supporting Rohingya Culture and Learning by organizing and vetting Rohingya geared digital media. This partnership with Bard College helped showcase BRCW’s digital Archives, digital media design cultural memory, history, resource hub, and BRCW history of work, and center services website design.

Marquette University (MU)
2017-2023
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Marquette University is our neighbor across the Menomonee River valley that separates Milwaukee’s Near West and Near South sides. Our first event was with Marquette’s Center for Peacemaking where we presented at a Refugee Panel (2017). Our next project saw us partner with several Trinity Fellows to conduct comprehensive Refugee Policy Surveys. Our teams performed outreach throughout our community and completed the interpreting and translating necessary to complete the project. To view the Results (2018-2019) click here and for the survey questions click here. Our next project saw collaboration with Seyfullah Ozkurt, a masters student at Marquette whose “Refugee Recycling” presentation was entered in his Masters Thesis competition (2018-2021). A 3-Minute Video Showcase is available here.

University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee (UWM)
2017-2022
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Our first contact with UWM was with Lynn Sedivy, former Lead of the Department of Early Childhood Education. We collaborated with the team from Vassar college as we began developing our newly formed organization. Mrs. Sedivy assisted our organization serving our youngest students by building links with local public schools that serve Rohingya students, and by providing students from her department, who were already teaching in Public schools as part of their education, to be used as volunteers and work directly with families to support their education, particularly during the pandemic’s remote school year. ​​

University of Maryland - Baltimore
2020-2023
Dr. Jenny Zhau, then a Doctoral candidate of Clinical Psychology began volunteering through IBP with us in 2020, before we purchased our community center. We explored Rohingya mental/behavioral health concerns as part of her field of study, while she assisted us with our working contract with the Department of Health conducting forums addressing Mental Health Workforce Technical Assistance. Dr. Zhou was instrumental in planning and conducting interviews and conducting research. In 2023, the SCRA Biennial Conference on Community Research and Action accepted Dr. Zhou w/Mohamed Anwar’s presentation; "Defining Belonging, Identity, and Community: Experiences of Rohingya Refugees in the United States"

University of San Francisco
2018-2019
Our first major academic collaboration saw Kayla Nieske, then studying at the University of San Francisco, collaborate with our fledgeling organization to work on her Master’s Thesis “Rohingya Transition to Life in the United States”. While spending time volunteering at our small leased office space, we were able to provide Mrs. Nieskes with access to our community for interviews and allowed her to participate in the day-to-day work, including; ESL classes, donation distribution efforts, communal gatherings and religious events, and watching our leadership during the service provisioning.