Community Stories
The talent, passion, drive and challenges they overcame — every immigrant has a unique story to tell. Learn how they came to choose the Cincinnati region as their home.
Mamta Bajgain's journey to Cincinnati began as a Bhutanese refugee at the tender age of 9 through the United Nations resettlement program. Now employed in Real Estate, Mamta also serves as a ranking member of the Nepali Language and Arts Center, a 501-C 3 non-profit organization. Her remarkable resilience and dedication to community leadership exemplify the transformative power of perseverance and compassion in overcoming adversity and fostering positive change.
Originally from Bhutan, Tara Dahal survived ethnic cleansing and resettled in a Nepali refugee camp. As Chairman of the Nepali Language and Arts Center and a Board member at Catholic Charities of Southwest Ohio, Tara's dedication empowers those in need. Through advocacy and service, he uplifts his community, reflecting the spirit of compassion in his adopted home.
Haneen Farhan arrived in Cincinnati a decade ago as a refugee from Iraq with just $400, the gold she was wearing, and dream to make women feel good about themselves.
Some international Procter & Gamble employees approach their Cincinnati-based assignments with mixed feelings, unsure how they'll adapt to the cultural differences of living in a mid-sized American city. But Mexico native Leslie Guzman was eager to relocate to the company's Cincinnati headquarters in 2007 after stints in Brazil and Venezuela.
As a high-school student in Guatemala, Rolando Archila knew he wanted to attend college in the US. His search focused on top business programs, but he had another important criterion too.
Christopher Che knew no one when he arrived in the Cincinnati area in 1980, and he was one of fewer than 10 immigrants here at the time from his native Cameron, in West Africa.
