Uma Acharya knows the daily hardships that refugees must go through just to survive.
Born in a refugee camp in Nepal after her family escaped government persecution in Bhutan, she witnessed the poor living conditions and lack of resources during the 15 years she spent there before resettling in the United States.
There was never enough food for the family; Acharya s parents had to leave their camp to do farm work for days or months on end just to feed her and her two siblings. Some of their neighbors who left the camp for heavy labor never came back alive.
Now a 27-year-old, Columbus-based mental health counselor who specializes in serving refugees, Acharya said her own traumatic experiences have helped her relate to those she is treating.