From Refugee Camp to an Inspired Future
“PowHERful means
Resilient Me.”
For the first fourteen years of her life, Tara Mishra lived with her family in Bhutanese Refugee Camp in Nepal. Then, ten years ago, she left the camp with her parents, three sisters, and younger brother to settle in Hartford, CT. Adjusting to dramatic differences in language and culture, Tara attended public school in Hartford and went on, with PowHERful’s support, to graduate from the University of Saint Joseph in 2021 with a Bachelor of Science in Social Work. “PowHERful means Resilient Me,” she says. “The Foundation has helped me financially and emotionally – I always felt supported.”
Tara describes how her parents, Bhutan natives, “were forced to leave their country because of ethnic conflicts, but Nepal would not let them repatriate…. Living in a refugee camp, we did not have enough resources for school, even things like electricity and basic equipment. My parents always told me, ‘We hope you don’t have to live your life the way we did.” They always encouraged me to continue my education and get a better life for myself.”
Newly arrived in the US, Tara remembers, “the most difficult challenge was being separated from my loved ones. I missed my cousins, friends, and neighbors a lot.” And she was “so surprised to meet people from different nationalities….In the Hartford Public High school, 97% of students were a minority.”
Looking to further her education, Tara had to make decisions for herself. “My family didn’t have knowledge about college, so I had to reach out for support from others to apply for financial aid and scholarships and manage my time. That’s where PowHERful Foundation stepped in: they helped me with financial support and ensured I was doing great academically. In addition, they were there for me every time I needed help.”
Tara worked hard. “I was a full-time student working part-time to help my family, and I took on internships simultaneously. To gain experience in social work, I interned in different places: I worked with immigrants at the Connecticut Immigrant & Refugee Coalition (CIRC), with children with special needs at Jumoke Academy, and at CT-Family Care Services (CTFCS) as a mental health community interpreter for Nepali people.”
“Throughout my life as a refugee, I always faced obstacles. I witnessed many refugees dealing with poverty, family separation, lack of medical care, and not getting a proper education. I pursued a role in social work because it is a field in which I could make a difference for individuals, families, and the community.”
After graduation, Tara worked for some time as a case manager resettling refugees and parolees in the U.S. While she’s planning to pursue a Masters in Social Work, she’s currently taking the time to help out her family financially. A travel reward for a job well done, she was recently able to carve out a trip to England and Norway. She says, “I love traveling to new places because I always return home with an open mind about the culture and food, and it helps me appreciate my life.”
Looking forward, Tara says, “I would like to continue serving immigrants, refugees, and vulnerable populations and advocate for social justice for these communities.”