Ka Taw Dow
Ka Taw Dow was born a refugee. Her family comes from Myanmar (formerly Burma) and are part of the Karen tribe, who have a long history of war with the Burmese government. Many describe this armed coflict as one of the world’s longest civil wars. It was this persecution that caused her parents to seek refuge at the Tham Him Refugee Camp in the Ratchaburi Province of Thailand.
Growing up in the refugee camp was all Ka Taw Dow had ever known. She hunted or gathered vegetables on Saturdays, the community went to church on Sundays, and she went to the refugee camp school during the week.
“Life in the camp was a consistent routine,” she says. “The hard thing was that we couldn’t leave the refugee camp because we didn’t have passports. They don’t let you out of the camp, but we still had to find food. We built our own home out of bamboo, cooked ourselves, and used candles for light since we did not have access to electricity.”
At the age of six, her aunt heard of a better, smaller camp in the Province of Kanchanaburi called Ban Don Yan. Ka Taw Dow traveled with her aunt and uncle (who she calls her mom and dad) to this smaller camp, leaving her birth parents, a sister, and three brothers behind. It was here that they were able to obtain passports and begin the process of entering the United States.
The process was long and difficult. Five years later, Ka Taw Dow, her aunt, and uncle, were approved for entry into the United States. They rode in a car that took them to Bangkok, and she boarded her first airplane bound for the US. Ka Taw Dow does not remember much of her traveling experience, but she recalled being extraordinarily sleepy and thought the plane food tasted awful. Landing in America filled her with sorrow for her friends and family back home.
They made their way to Columbia, Missouri, because a few of friends from their refugee camp had come before them. She said, “…when we landed, there were not a lot of Karen tribe people here, and it was hard because we did not have a car and had to find jobs knowing very little English.”
Ka Taw Dow is now a proud homeowner in Columbia, where she has built a life for herself and her family. With two children in school, she understands the challenges that come with starting over in a new country. Drawing from her own experiences, she has become a vital resource for newly arriving families, helping them navigate the transition to life in Columbia. With a deep love for her community, she assists families in registering their children for school, finding employment, and creating a sense of belonging in their new home. Her journey from a refugee camp to a leader in her community is a testament to resilience, compassion, and the power of support in rebuilding lives.
