In the early 1990s, Bhutan carried out a little-known campaign of ethnic cleansing, expelling over 100,000 citizens — among them seven-year-old Bhawani and his family. Born hearing, Bhawani lost his hearing as a child, and with it came loss, stigma, and profound isolation. In the refugee camps of Nepal, the arrival of Nepali Sign Language classes changed everything: for the first time, Bhawani and other Deaf refugees could communicate, and a community took shape.

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After two decades of displacement, Bhawani's family was resettled in Concord, New Hampshire — where the local agency was unprepared to serve Deaf refugees. Isolated again, Bhawani responded by learning American Sign Language, teaching it to others, and becoming an ASL-to-Nepali Sign Language interpreter so that Deaf Bhutanese could finally speak with their doctors and caseworkers. He has since emerged as a leading voice in the Deaf Bhutanese-American community.

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His story unfolds against a global crisis: UNHCR counts 129.9 million forcibly displaced and stateless people worldwide, a number expected to grow. Refugees with disabilities are among the most vulnerable and least visible. Bhawani tells his story with clarity, dignity, and quiet humor — and makes it impossible to look away.