At
the age of six, Bishnu Kamar (left) fled her native Bhutan where, she says, the
government was trying to kill its own people. She lived the next twenty-two
years in a bamboo house in a refugee camp in Nepal, to where many ethnic Nepalis fled, under harsh, cramped
conditions. She and her companions, Dropada Kafley (middle) and Mon Maya Bastola (right), now
live with their families in South Philadelphia. With the help of an American
friend they started a community farm and now tend nearly 100 beds. In Nepal, they
had farmed rice, corn and “all kinds of vegetables.”

On
Thursdays the threesome takes the bus up to the Weavers Way Henry-Got-Crops Farm
in Roxborough to better learn American farming techniques.

In addition to farming, Kamar takes care
of her mother-in-law, works in a pre-school and, after an intensive 6-month
study of English, also works as a Nepali language interpreter in a hospital. 

HOW
IS IT GOING FOR YOU NOW IN SOUTH PHILADELPHIA?

“It’s
awesome. Because we spend our life -is a very good way. We are good now. And I
think my future can be good. I can try hard…”

Watch video here.