Building Community in New Hampshire

Building Community in New Hampshire (BCNH) is a refugee-led nonprofit organization serving refugee and immigrant populations in central New Hampshire. Originally founded as the Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire in May 2009 by a group of Bhutanese refugees including Suraj Budathoki and Ganga Thapa, the organization broadened its mission on June 10, 2017, changing its name to reflect its expansion to serve all refugee and immigrant communities — including Bhutanese, Afghan, Ukrainian, Congolese, and Bosnian populations.

BCNH describes itself as "an organization run by and for refugees," with staff representing six nationalities. The organization operates from offices in Manchester and Nashua, providing social services, employment assistance, English language classes, citizenship preparation, mental health support, health insurance enrollment, nutrition education, and youth and senior programming. Its stated mission is "Helping Refugees and other Immigrants Navigate Their Way To Safe, Healthy, Productive, Prosperous, and Connected Lives in New Hampshire."^[1]

History

Bhutanese refugees began arriving in New Hampshire through the federal resettlement program in 2008. Initially, a small group of friends began volunteering to assist new arrivals with language, culture, case management, and employment needs. By the end of 2008, the community recognized the need for a formal organization. The Bhutanese Community of New Hampshire was formed in May 2009, becoming a 501(c)(3) nonprofit in 2011.

The organization was co-founded by Suraj Budathoki and his wife Ganga Thapa, along with other community members including Tika Acharya, who became the first Executive Director. Acharya had arrived in Manchester in January 2009 with his family. His father had been imprisoned and tortured in Bhutan; Acharya himself fled alone at age 13, walking overnight into India. He completed high school in the refugee camps, earned an MBA in India, and his family spent 17 years in camps in Nepal before resettlement.^[2]

As the organization matured, its leadership recognized that the skills and infrastructure it had built to serve Bhutanese refugees could benefit other displaced populations arriving in New Hampshire. On June 10, 2017, the organization formally changed its name to Building Community in New Hampshire and expanded its mission to serve all refugee and immigrant populations.

Founders and Notable Figures

Co-founder Suraj Budathoki went on to become one of the most prominent Bhutanese Americans in the country. Born in Samrang, Bhutan, he spent 19 years in a refugee camp in Nepal before arriving in the U.S. in 2009. He earned a BA from Southern New Hampshire University, an MA from Norwich University, and is a PhD candidate at Saybrook University. In 2016, he served as deputy political director for Bernie Sanders' presidential campaign in New Hampshire. He also co-founded Peace Initiative Bhutan, which has led delegations to Washington, D.C., building support for congressional resolutions urging Bhutan to acknowledge the forced displacement of over 100,000 citizens. In November 2024, Budathoki was elected to the New Hampshire House of Representatives (Hillsborough 40th district), becoming the first Bhutanese American elected to a state legislature in U.S. history.^[3]

Board Chair Dhan Timsina runs in-home care services and an adult-care center in Hooksett and was named in the Union Leader's "40 Under 40."

Programs and Services

BCNH offers a comprehensive suite of services in a culturally and linguistically appropriate manner:

Social Services and Case Management — Housing assistance, job placement, driver's license procurement, family law support, food stamps, and health insurance applications. Case managers are themselves former refugees speaking multiple languages.
Employment Services — Resume assistance, job placement, and employer connections.
English as a Second Language (ESL) — Classes taught by experienced ESOL instructors, available both online and in-person.
Citizenship and Naturalization — Classes in American civics and preparation for naturalization exams.
Mental Health Support — Linkages with community mental health centers, direct counseling, and scheduling and transportation for appointments.
Youth Engagement — The New American Youth Engagement Project, expanded from Concord to Manchester. Notably, one student in BCNH's SAT preparation program received a Gates Millennium Scholarship — one of only 1,000 awarded nationally.
Senior Citizens Programs — Dedicated programming for elderly community members.
Harmonium Program — Two Bhutanese refugee instructors with Master's degrees in Music partnered with the NH Council for the Arts and eventually taught through the Concord Community Music School.

The organization serves 314 families statewide, with 114 in Concord specifically, and its website offers Google Translate support in 11 languages including Nepali, Swahili, Kinyarwanda, French, Ukrainian, Pashto, and Dari.^[4]

Staff

BCNH employs 7 full-time and 2 part-time staff members representing 6 nationalities, reflecting the populations it serves. Case managers and instructors include refugees and immigrants from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Afghanistan, Ukraine, and Iran, alongside Bhutanese staff. Current Executive Director Nikki Shults, who joined in January 2026, brings experience from the Peace Corps in Ethiopia and a decade leading Little Brothers-Friends of the Elderly in Boston. Deputy Director Vijay Bhujel, originally from Bhutan, spent 22 years in a Nepali refugee camp and holds a BS in Physics from the University of North Bengal.^[5]

New Hampshire Bhutanese Community

New Hampshire is home to more than 2,000 Bhutanese Americans living primarily in Concord, Manchester, and Hooksett. Community members have launched businesses — Dhan Timsina runs in-home care services and an adult-care center; Rajesh Chauwan operates an adult-care center in Concord. Multiple community members have been recognized in the Union Leader's "40 Under 40" list of New Hampshire's young leaders.

Funding and Partnerships

BCNH operates on an annual budget of approximately $575,000. Key funders include the New Hampshire Charitable Foundation, which provided a $15,000 capacity-building grant that enabled BCNH to secure $150,000 in federal funds, and Granite United Way. The organization works with initial resettlement agencies Ascentria Care Alliance and International Institute of New England, taking over long-term support after these agencies handle initial placement.^[6]

References

Building Community in New Hampshire. Official website. https://www.bcinnh.org
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. "From Hopelessness to Hope." https://www.nhcf.org/what-were-up-to/from-hopelessness-to-hope/
Wikipedia. "Suraj Budathoki." https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suraj_Budathoki
Granite United Way. "Partnering with Building Community in New Hampshire." https://www.graniteuw.org/news-events/partnering-with-building-community-in-new-hampshire-to-support-new-americans
BCNH. "Staff." https://www.bcinnh.org/staff
New Hampshire Charitable Foundation. "From Hopelessness to Hope." https://www.nhcf.org/what-were-up-to/from-hopelessness-to-hope/
NHPR. "NH Refugee Agencies Face Restrictions." December 2025. https://www.nhpr.org/nh-news/2025-12-23/nh-refugee-agencies-restrictions-limits-refugees-new-hampshire