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Student profile

Elfansuri's story

Elfansuri Chairah is a human rights investigator with the Komnas HAM (National Human Rights Commission) in Indonesia.

He worked for the same agency, investigating human rights atrocities in East Timor and West Papua, before coming to Murdoch in 2006. At that time, Elfansuri was disappointed that much of the Commission’s gruelling investigative work did not result in prosecutions because of a lack of proper evidence.

He decided to further his studies at Murdoch University, with the sole aim of improving investigative procedures and standards regarding the collection of evidence in human rights cases in Indonesia.

He now directly attributes the improved protocols he has been able to write and implement to his two-year MA in Development Studies.

Elfansuri won an AusAID scholarship to come to Murdoch.

 

Kellie-Jane's story

Kellie-Jane has worked with the Department of Agriculture and Food’s international unit, AGWEST International for the past 10 years and has 17 years experience working with international projects.

She has been the Manager of AGWEST International for the past 3 years and is an experienced Project Manager and team member working with clients including major funding agencies (AusAID, FAO, UNDP, IFAD), NGOs, the private sector and Government Ministries in project design, drafting and implementation of terms of reference, memoranda of understanding, financial management and monitoring and evaluation.

Kellie-Jane graduated with a postgraduate diploma in policy (development) studies from Murdoch in 2004. This helped to formalize her knowledge of development issues, particularly those affecting women in developing countries. Whilst at Murdoch, she undertook a small research project in Timor Leste which gave her skills and experience in rapid rural appraisal and hands on understanding of rural development issues.

Since then, Kellie-Jane has spent 6 months in Iraq working with the Ministry of Agriculture, managed a significant training program for Iraqi’s under AusAID’s Rehabilitation Assistance Facility, undertaken business development trips to South Africa, Botswana, China, Eritrea and Laos and participated in a disaster risk management course in Bangladesh post cyclone Narga.