Meet Ratna Subba from Nepal Ratna Subba is the owner of the food truck Darjeeling Momo. He has an infectious smile and makes you feel at ease the moment you’re around him. He was born in Bhutan but fled from the country to Nepal with his mother and sisters in 1992 when he was 7. Like many other refugees from Read More »
Amiri Osman – A Life Filled With Art
On the canvas of life, each experience paints a different stroke. No one knows this better than Amiri Osman from Democratic of Congo (DRC). He’s a talented artist who came to Boise in 2016 and has been adding to the city’s arts and culture scene ever since. Amiri was just 12 when his parents passed away. He found a refuge Read More »
Meet John Nahimana from Burundi
Since he was a teenager, John has always known he was good at cutting hair. He got his start helping his brother trim hair at a salon in Malawi when he was very young. Now, 17 years later, John is achieving his dream of opening his own full-service salon here in America. Called He & She Salon, John’s shop is Read More »
The Ingredients to Start a New Life and Restaurant
Meet Salam Bunyan from Baghdad Salam Bunyan is an expert chef. He grew up in Iraq experimenting with different flavors and combining ingredients. He lived and worked around food in Iraq — including serving as a chef at a five-star restaurant in Baghdad — until 2006, when war forced him to leave his native country. In the early ‘90s, Salam Read More »
Hana is Fulfilling Her Dream
Hana grew up in Baghdad, where food, groceries, and bakeries were always a family affair for her. Both her grandmother and mother owned stores there, and she and her brothers have fond memories of helping and playing in those stores when they were small children in Iraq. Today Hana is fulfilling her dream of having her own store. She recently Read More »
Meet Jaafar Jaafar from Iraq
Jaafar’s store, Al Ahmed Market, is a family business. Not only are important business matters discussed with the entire family, his store is the continuation of a dream started by his father. His dad had a similar business in Iraq, and Jaafar is continuing this tradition in the United States. His store is located at 4324 W. Overland Road in Read More »
Abdi Haji – Umoja Na Uhuru World Farm
If you’ve been to Boise’s Capital City Public Market, you’ve probably seen Abdi Haji of Umoja Na Uhuru World Farm. A refugee from Somalia, Abdi has been growing organic vegetables in the Treasure Valley since 2006, first with the Somali Bantu Community Farm in Eagle, then through Global Gardens, a program of the Idaho Office for Refugees. When Abdi decided Read More »
Valentine (Yao) Sessou-Djokotu – Valentino’s Hair Cut Up
Valentine Sessou-Djokutu came to the US from Togo after spending seven years in a refugee camp in Benin. He arrived with his wife and three children in March of 2007 already possessing 24 years experience as a barber. After attending Boise Barber College, he received a license and a certificate. EO helped him sublease a space from another EO client, Read More »
Sundus Tawfeeq – Babylon Market
Family is important to Sundus Tawfeeq. Her love for her family, which includes four children, is evident in the cheerful environment of her store, Babylon Market. A visit to Babylon Market reveals a clean, colorful and welcoming atmosphere filled with bright colors and exotic foods and products from the Middle East. But for Sundus, Babylon Market is more than just Read More »
Tino Silva – Intermountain Construction and Abatement
Tino Silva, owner of Intermountain Construction and Abatement, is living proof of the “American Dream. With EO’s help, a relationship with Zions Bank was built that ultimately helped him secure an SBA 7(a) loan and purchase the business at which he had worked for the past eight years. The previous owner of the company was ready to retire and thought Read More »