Meet Puja

Puja is originally from Nepal, but she was born and raised in India, the eldest of three daughters. In a society where the birth of a girl was often met with silence instead of celebration. While society saw a burden, her parents saw a dream. They moved for her safety and stood like a wall against every cruel question, determined to raise a daughter who was confident, educated, and Free.

Puja didn’t just study; she carried her parents' sacrifices in her heart. After completing her graduation, she moved to her own country, Nepal. After many struggles, she became the first in her family to earn a degree and hold a professional office job, rising to become a Senior Accountant in Kathmandu, Nepal. Her journey paved the way for her sisters. Her middle sister now studies and works in Denmark, and her youngest sister is attending a top college in Kathmandu. Every promotion was a message to society and relatives, a daughter can do everything. The day she began supporting her family financially, she realized she had finally turned her parents' struggles into a legacy of pride.

After getting married in the United States to her husband, Saroj, Puja began a difficult new chapter. Arriving as a beginner in a foreign land, she faced the overwhelming struggle of navigating a completely different system. Understanding local systems, navigating education and job opportunities, career, and rebuilding her confidence, the transition was far from easy. She often felt invisible, as if her years of hard work in Nepal and India no longer counted. While facing these challenges, she met Kala Pokhral from her own community. Kala, through Treetops Collective, was dedicated to helping women, and she provided Puja with immense support. Through this connection, Puja learned how to find the resources and guidance she needed to move forward. Today, as a Concentric Leader, she uses her own experience to guide and empower other women in her own community.

Although she is still facing struggles, she is no longer afraid. She feels that with the support of her friends and her group at Treetops, nothing can stop her now. Puja is currently preparing for her master's degree in computer science and works with Treetops Collective as a Concentric Leader of the Nepali Community. Puja also works with the West Michigan Asian American Association as a Nepali navigator. That her journey is so far from over. She is no longer the girl born into silence; she is the light that changed her family’s story. To anyone who doubts the worth of a daughter, Puja is the living proof that we can rise, we can lead, and we can fulfill every dream.