This is an amazing grass roots organization dedicated to educating the underprivileged segments of society, grooming them for socially responsible leadership roles, and instilling in them a strong moral/ethical code to prevent abuses of power. I have met 3 of their students in person and am impressed. Great job FWB.
Families Without Borders gave me hope at the time I thought all hopes were gone. And through Families without Borders I have become the first graduate in my family with a bachelor’s degree in Law. Through the leadership training, Families Without borders has helped me gained confidence and instill the culture of service in my community. Since I lost my mother during the Ebola crisis in Sierra Leone, families Without borders has given me an extended family and Mummy Terri has become my mother and a mother to many other kids like me in Africa. Families Without Borders is a life changing organization.
The work that Terri has done with Families Without Borders is unbelievably inspiring and hopeful. As a volunteer, I had the privilege of typing up and reading students’ in Families Without Borders testimonies, and the stories of the students are incredible.
The students all emphasized how Families Without Borders is true to its name; students from all backgrounds and different tribes come together with this program to deliver acts of service to their community. Through FWB, the students attend leadership workshops and they greatly benefit from learning how to serve as a leader in the community. Many of the students have had to find ways to provide for their families from a young age, and with the opportunities that FWB provides, they are given the ability to attend university, which was oftentimes something unimaginable to these students! The FWB approach of providing sustainable solutions to help these communities rise out of poverty by educating community members, rather than pouring money into the community, allows for clean water, access to technology, and other projects to help make a positive impact in their communities.
It has been an absolute honor working with Terri and Ayuko and seeing how much work goes into running this incredible organization. My experience volunteering with FWB has dramatically impacted what I want to do with my future; FWB has shown me how access to education and working with communities creates tangible, impactful results!
I have been a donor to FWB for a few years and last year I became a mentor to a college student in FWB Scholarship program.
This experience has been one of the most rewarding and inspiring in my life! Because of my direct communication and connection with Juana, a young West African male, striving to gain personal development, higher education and leadership skills, I have actually witnessed firsthand, the positive impact and huge difference FWB has made on his outlook about his role and purpose in his own family , community and society at large.
He is a young man who no longer feels helpless and abandoned, instead he feels empowered, enriched and engaged thanks to mommy Terri and all of the resources available to him through FWB.
I am a true believer of FWB’s missions and am humbled and grateful for all the valuable life lessons I have learned, by actively participating as a mentor!
I became involved with Families Without Borders after meeting the dedicated and inspiring Founder, Terri Khonsari, in Moraga, CA. With a background in international education and previous experience working with multiple nonprofits in West Africa, I was drawn to this organization’s holistic approach to higher education.
Families Without Borders is an exceptional organization that is making a real difference in the lives of college students, their families and communities.
The organization goes beyond education by placing an emphasis on serving others and becoming ethical leaders. I love how Families Without Borders focuses on building communities from within - empowering its students to become leaders and make positive impacts on their communities both during and after the 5-year program. The student and graduate outcomes are a powerful testament to the true success of this incredible program.
I am Bashir Koroma and my experience with and Families Without Borders is amazing which I can always live to remember..
In a family of five (5) I am the only one with university requirements my elder sister don't step door of a school because my family cannot afford and she automatically got married to help the house.
I got my University requirements in 2014 but no family member can afford to pay my tuition fees.
For complete 2 years I was panting behind people to come to my aid so I can have a college degree but to no avail.
I started teaching in one of our community schools to raise some money, I tried all I could but to no avail until in 2017 when I finally met with Families Without Borders.
That was a dream come True.
I got admitted into the program after I have fulfilled all the criterium and changed my paradigm for positive, to give back to my community and to be a change agent for good. like exhibiting transparency, community service, get things done and many which are the criterium to be member.
Families Without Borders is not only a college scholarship program but a leadership program which change the wholistic aspect of financial disadvantage Youth from different background to unleash their fullest potential to fit into the corporate world.
A boy from a financial disadvantage background who was finding it so hard to gain college fees has served in many leadership position in his university.
In 2017 my first year of studies, I happened to be the Deputy Minister of Information and communication who was serving as an intermediary between the general student body to the administration and in providing regular updates from the administration to the general student body...
In my second year of studies I happened to be the Minister of Information and Communication, I oversaw all communications that was going out to the general student body and give directives on how conference should be held at the University of Makeni.
In my third year of studies I served as the Minister of Education at the University of Makeni and conducted educational programs at the University and also organized the ultimate inter-departmental debate competition at the University...
And I will be contesting as student President at the University come October.
My experience is just too amazing with Families Without Borders and I have realized and still realizing my potential
Families Without Borders has developed a successful and scalable model helping underprivileged gifted students in West Africa become ethical college-educated servant leaders in their communities through scholarships, mentorship, leadership training, and community service.
The model includes graduates paying-it-forward for others and has resulted in numerous student-initiated projects including adult education, computer literacy, water well repair, solar energy installation, and women’s health initiatives. The communities have enthusiastically embraced these projects.
I’m originally from Sierra Leone and agreed to serve on her board when I realized the difference she was making. Terri is of Iranian heritage, lives in the United States, and gives her energy, talent, and resources to West Africa to which she has traveled about four times a year for the past eleven years. She is one of the most generous, energetic, results-producing, determined, and resilient people I have met.
Terri started Families Without Borders with one student 10 years ago and it has grown to over 100 students that are impacting tens of thousands of lives in their communities.
The work Terri and Families Without Borders does is nothing less than noteworthy. This group of people, lead by Terri Khonsari, are committed to transforming the lives of young people through education and community service. The organization fully supports young people who are extremely successful in high school. The spend one year engaged with service projects that have provided clean drinking water to communities, taught adult literacy and numeracy, began to dismantle gender inequities in access to school by teaching young girls and women to sew reusable sanitary pads. Girls have been unable to attend school because of their menstrual periods.
After their year of service, FWB full supports student through 4 years of college including room and board, tuition, health care and all other necessary support. The vision of the organization is to support improved living conditions for the country through the support of students who can make the difference. This model is that of support and guidance for self transformation. Who better to know what will make the lives of the people of Sierra Leone better than the people of Sierra Leone.
I am please to work with and contribute to the efforts of FWB. Their deep respect for people and their lens of equity and social justice are most inspiring. The young adults they work with are inspirations to what can happen when we assist people in transforming their circumstances vs telling them what they need.
Cheryl A. Domenichelli, Ed.D.
I support the work of Families Without Borders because Leadership begins from the top.
Terri walks the talk as she conducts the leadership workshops for the students. In an intimate and safe environment outside of the University setting and curriculum , service, accountability, ethics and morals are discussed.
As the founder of the organization, Terris unwavering commitment has earned the trust of her community to support young underprivileged and determined students for a chance to attend and complete a college degree. While the range of study may be diverse ie:agriculture, law, communication, accounting, public health, engineering, computer science ... all students are trained and taught to take the lead and solve community issues. Mummy Terri as she is rightfully called by her students, has faith, vision and passion to facilitate the opportunity for young leaders shaping a brighter future.
Families Without Borders (FWB) does amazing work in Western Africa by providing college students with the education, leadership and community service training that they need to bring their communities out of poverty. The model is different from other non-profits that just provide monetary support - FWB teaches these young adults the skills they need to become leaders in their communities. What I love most about this organization is the students’ focus on community service, from the newest students in the program going to rural villages to teach adult literacy, to the more senior students creating and leading community service projects of their own, to graduates being required to sponsor a new student in the program. As the number of students in the program has increased over the years, FWB has found unique ways to address the additional needs of that growth, such as implementing a mentorship program for the students.