Arizona's refugee community is diverse, both in what countries people have come from as well as why they had to leave home. This is a look at the stories of refugees from a few Southeast Asian countries.
Name: Prajwal Neopane, 23
Country of Origin: Born in Nepal, but his parents are from Myanmar
Years in the U.S.: 7 years
Story: Prajwal arrived in the states when he was 17 years old. He had little grasp of the English language then, but he practiced every week with three of his friends.
Eventually, Prajwal was able to graduate as one of the Top 20 students in Phoenix Central High School. He has recently been accepted in ASU for a major in Aerospace Engineering.
Name: Tika Sapkota, 39
Country of Origin: Bhutan
Years in the U.S.: 8 years
Story: Tika spent 18 years in a refugee camp in Nepal until opportunity came for him to resettle in the US in 2008.
He is here with his parents, wife, and daughter who just celebrated her 1st birthday. He says he misses the rest of his family who he left behind in Bhutan, their land, property, and peace.
He is currently a medical assistant and interpreter, and is the President of the Bhutanese Community.
