Tara Dahal

It’s been 12 years since Tara Dahal moved to the United States with his family. After fleeing from his home in Bhutan in 1990 and spending 22 years at a refugee camp in Nepal, Tara was given an opportunity to relocate through the Refugee Resettlement Program. Despite spending years of life as a refugee himself—or perhaps because of it—he’s dedicated much of his time in this country to supporting immigrants, refugees, and other underserved communities.

“I like to help people,” he says. “That is my passion.”

Tara and his family were resettled in Denver in 2012, where he worked as a picker and packer in a bakery factory. Two years later, Tara made plans to move to Cincinnati in hopes of securing more affordable living. Cincinnati also promised better job opportunities, friends and family, and warmer weather.

In August 2014, Tara, his wife Sulochana, and their two sons Subham and Satyam moved into a Forest Park apartment. They had family nearby, lower rent, more space, and Tara found a higher-paying job. With their basic needs met, Tara turned his focus to the community around him. They began teaching Nepali language classes for their children, a venture supported by a local church that provided them a space free of charge. Tara felt cared for by their community, and was eager to pass that support onto others.

In 2016, Tara took a position at Catholic Charities as a caseworker in the refugee resettlement program where he assisted fellow refugees as they took their first steps to establish a life in Cincinnati. He helped hundreds of families adjust to the change by teaching them to apply for public benefits, file taxes, manage social security issues, register to vote, and beyond. The opportunity to help others navigate a challenging, familiar path was extremely rewarding.

“I wanted to serve the community,” he says. “I wanted to help other people.”

Tara has since worked at Job and Family Services, and currently serves underserved individuals through his work at Healthy Home Care.

He’s an active volunteer, serving as the Chairperson at Nepali Language and Arts Center and as a member of the board of directors at Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio, and works with Cincinnati Compass Community Council and Cincinnati Children’s Family Advisory Council. Tara has also collaborated with Colerain Township to make cricket part of the Cincinnati community by building a cricket court in Dravo Park. It was the first of its kind in Southwest Ohio.

His dedication to the community reached new life-saving heights during the COVID-19 pandemic. Through his volunteer work, Tara helped over 2,000 Nepalese-speaking people get vaccinated by making appointments and assisting in coordination with health clinics across the region. Tara’s group also distributed PPE and fresh food to non-English-speaking families. In response to his efforts, Hamilton County Public Health nominated him for the CDC and Association of Immunization’s 2022 Immunization Champion Award, which honors those who work with immunization to make major ontributions to public health. Tara was one of 28 people to receive the accolade, and also received honors from the General Assembly of the State of Ohio and Colerain Township.

Through his work within the Greater Cincinnati community, Tara has brought a message of hope, hospitality, and determination to the groups of displaced people who need it most.