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Tara Dahal was resettled in Denver, Colorado, from one of the refugee camps of Nepal in 2012 after spending 22 years as a refugee. His wife, Sulochana, their four-year-old son, Subham, and he flew over 25 hours to land at Denver International Airport on May 31, 2012, marking their first international and long flight. He commenced employment at a hotel near the airport as a houseman. Later, he transitioned to a bakery factory where he worked for more than a year before relocating to Cincinnati, Ohio, in 2014.
In 2014, they welcomed their second son, Satyam. However, the cost of living in Denver was high, and Tara’s $9 per hour wage couldn’t cover expenses, prompting him to seek a more affordable location. He took a week-long vacation and drove to Ohio from Denver with his brother. They visited Cleveland, where he had friends, Columbus, where he had relatives, and Cincinnati, where his sister had recently moved from Chicago. Among the three cities, he found Cincinnati the most appealing due to its weather, job availability, and lower cost of living.
I appreciate Cincinnati for its diversity and inclusivity, where respect and equality are extended to all populations regardless of their country of origin, race, or ethnicity. Although there are challenges for non-English speakers, numerous resources are available.
Cincinnati | Photo Credit: Jake Blucker
Without consulting his wife, Tara Dahal and his brother rented an apartment in Forest Park and returned to Denver. Both their families packed their belongings into a U-Haul truck and relocated to Cincinnati. He started working at SanMar company as a picker. After two years, he seized an opportunity to work at Catholic Charities in the refugee resettlement program as a case worker, which marked a turning point in his life. After four years, he transitioned to Hamilton County Job and Family Services. Later, he joined Healthy Home Care, a community-based healthcare business, where he has utilized the case management skills and expertise acquired at Catholic Charities and Job and Family Services to assist needy individuals in the community.
Over the past few years, Tara Dahal has helped hundreds of families with various tasks, including public benefits applications, social security issues, green card and naturalization applications, tax filing, finding attorneys for community-based issues, voter registrations, and more. During the COVID-19 pandemic, he tirelessly assisted non-English speaking families by distributing PPE, fresh foods, and connecting them with doctors and nurses. His outstanding work in vaccinating people against Covid-19 led to his selection from Ohio to receive the 2022 Immunization Champion Award from the CDC and the Association of Immunization Managers. He was one of 28 individuals in the country to receive the award.
He also received recognition from Hamilton County Public Health, the General Assembly of the State of Ohio, and Colerain Township for his efforts.
Through the Nepali Language and Arts Center, they offer karate classes, Nepali language, and dance classes every weekend to promote and preserve their language and culture. They established a cricket ground at Dravo Park in collaboration with Colerain Township and plan to add soccer and other sports in the coming year.
Tara Dahal appreciates Cincinnati for its diversity and inclusivity, where respect and equality are extended to all populations regardless of their country of origin, race, or ethnicity. Although there are challenges for non-English speakers, numerous resources are available. While the transportation system is relatively poor compared to larger cities, hospitals, and schools such as Cincinnati Children’s, Walnut Hills High School, and the University of Cincinnati are notable institutions.
Social work is his passion, and he began teaching in the refugee camp immediately after completing his 10th-grade exam. He enjoys interacting with children and assisting needy families. He actively volunteers for various community initiatives.
He takes pride in being a Cincinnatian. Cincinnati has played a significant role in shaping who he is today.
