Caroline Oguda: A lot of immigrants come because they are forced by circumstances

Country of origin: KENYA

Now living in Nashua

Originally Caroline Oguda came to the United States in 2001 to pursue a master’s degree in healthcare administration. She intended to get a degree and return to Kenya. This type of program was not available in Kenya and was only offered at four universities in the states. Initially, she began at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, which was not a good fit.

“It was so small, even the 7-Eleven was closed on Thanksgiving. I was like, nah, can’t do this,” she says.

Her next option was Rivier University in Nashua. She made New Hampshire her home without any knowledge about the state. That move worked out and she has been here ever since. When she graduated in 2004 she had long-term and acute care experience and was immediately offered a job.

Good jobs and limited prospects in her chosen field back home led her on the path of citizenship. Uganda has little or no nursing home industry and her skills are in high demand in the U.S.

She is the mother of two children, who she adopted from Kenya. In addition to working in healthcare, she became civically active to give back and be engaged with her adopted home.  She became active in the Rotary Club and was a Big Sister through Nashua PAL.

She became a Naturalized Citizen in 2008  “on the same day as Big Papi” of Red Sox Fame. His was a public ceremony and hers was a Nashua Rotary Club event where she was sworn in by Federal Judge Joe Laplante

Her message to the people of New Hampshire is this:

“I can tell you, I know a lot of immigrants here. A lot of them didn’t come because they wanted to come. They are forced by circumstances.  Whether it’s tribal, war, or disease, their parents came and they were forced to come,  you know, because in some cultures, if you leave your parents alone, it’s a curse, you know? “