UW-Extension’s Kazoua Moua
Educating immigrants on proper nutrition
Educating immigrants on proper nutrition
Thai languages. A family member living in the United States sponsored Moua’s family and in 1984, at the age of 10, Moua moved with her
family to Stockton, California.
Moua’s new life in the United States would not be without challenges. One of her most painful memories would turn out to be a life-
altering experience that would ultimately shape her life goals. At the tender age of 10, however, it was simply humiliating. Armed with no
knowledge of the English language, Moua entered school in the United States at a time when ESL (English as a Second Language) classes
where the exception rather than the norm. She was placed in an English only classroom and another Hmong student was charged with
being her translator. He, however, would taunt her by either not translating at all or telling her incorrect information. Her first year at school
was wrought with fear and frustration.
“When they talked in the classroom, I would just cry,” Moua said. “I had many challenges in my first year of school.”
These challenges, however, would lead Moua to become fiercely dedicated to helping English language learners in the United States.
“With that experience, I wished that I could help people speak the language.”
Moua defied traditions when she attended community college in Yuba, California after graduating from Lindhurst High School. While a
Hmong woman her age was expected to marry (instead of attend school), Moua was determined to enhance her future.
“I was looked down on for attending college and not marrying,” Moua said. “People looked at me like I was an old maid.”
Moua met her husband, a pastor at the time, in 1994 at a national youth conference for the Christian Mission Alliance Church. They
shared a brief courtship before marrying and moving to Georgia, then Minnesota and finally Madison. Six children later, the couple is
entrenched in the Madison community and dedicated to helping area Hmong and other minority groups. Moua’s husband is the pastor for the
Hmong congregation at Sherman United Methodist Church and together the couple help coordinate ESL classes for new Hmong refugees.
Moua’s other passion is providing nutritional education to Hmong and other refugees.
Moua currently works as a nutrition educator for the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Nutrition Education Program. She is charged
with helping new populations navigate the new foods and food safety procedures that they encounter in the United States. She provides in-
home services to mainly low-income families — helping them with everything from reading food labels to discovering ways to stretch their
grocery money.
“I mostly provide nutritional education,” Moua said. “I also teach them food safety.”
Moua said that food safety lessons are often critical to the health of new Asian populations, because food preparation is vastly different
in Asia.
“Food safety is so important,” she said. “In Laos, we don’t have refrigeration — we always buy fresh meat. When we come to this
country, we don’t know how to thaw meat properly.”
On a home visit, Moua can found doing something as simple as teaching a family how to cook spaghetti or as necessary as balancing a
checkbook. Her role is to help families face some of the nutritional and financial challenges they encounter in their new country.
Aside from her work and being a busy mom, Moua can also be found helping new refugees at Troy Garden’s and actively working with
parents at her children’s school. She also volunteers with the Madison Environmental Justice Organization (MEJO) where she teaches fish
safety and provides translation services.
In the end, Moua remains committed to helping communities new to the United States and this dedication remains rooted in her very first
experiences here.
“I am trying to do as much as I can to help others succeed,” she said.
For more information about UW Extension’s Nutrition Education Program or the free ESL classes provided at Sherman United Methodist
Church, contact Kazoua Moua at (608)-224-3644.
(Reprinted from AW-Sept. 2007)
family to Stockton, California.
Moua’s new life in the United States would not be without challenges. One of her most painful memories would turn out to be a life-
altering experience that would ultimately shape her life goals. At the tender age of 10, however, it was simply humiliating. Armed with no
knowledge of the English language, Moua entered school in the United States at a time when ESL (English as a Second Language) classes
where the exception rather than the norm. She was placed in an English only classroom and another Hmong student was charged with
being her translator. He, however, would taunt her by either not translating at all or telling her incorrect information. Her first year at school
was wrought with fear and frustration.
“When they talked in the classroom, I would just cry,” Moua said. “I had many challenges in my first year of school.”
These challenges, however, would lead Moua to become fiercely dedicated to helping English language learners in the United States.
“With that experience, I wished that I could help people speak the language.”
Moua defied traditions when she attended community college in Yuba, California after graduating from Lindhurst High School. While a
Hmong woman her age was expected to marry (instead of attend school), Moua was determined to enhance her future.
“I was looked down on for attending college and not marrying,” Moua said. “People looked at me like I was an old maid.”
Moua met her husband, a pastor at the time, in 1994 at a national youth conference for the Christian Mission Alliance Church. They
shared a brief courtship before marrying and moving to Georgia, then Minnesota and finally Madison. Six children later, the couple is
entrenched in the Madison community and dedicated to helping area Hmong and other minority groups. Moua’s husband is the pastor for the
Hmong congregation at Sherman United Methodist Church and together the couple help coordinate ESL classes for new Hmong refugees.
Moua’s other passion is providing nutritional education to Hmong and other refugees.
Moua currently works as a nutrition educator for the University of Wisconsin-Extension’s Nutrition Education Program. She is charged
with helping new populations navigate the new foods and food safety procedures that they encounter in the United States. She provides in-
home services to mainly low-income families — helping them with everything from reading food labels to discovering ways to stretch their
grocery money.
“I mostly provide nutritional education,” Moua said. “I also teach them food safety.”
Moua said that food safety lessons are often critical to the health of new Asian populations, because food preparation is vastly different
in Asia.
“Food safety is so important,” she said. “In Laos, we don’t have refrigeration — we always buy fresh meat. When we come to this
country, we don’t know how to thaw meat properly.”
On a home visit, Moua can found doing something as simple as teaching a family how to cook spaghetti or as necessary as balancing a
checkbook. Her role is to help families face some of the nutritional and financial challenges they encounter in their new country.
Aside from her work and being a busy mom, Moua can also be found helping new refugees at Troy Garden’s and actively working with
parents at her children’s school. She also volunteers with the Madison Environmental Justice Organization (MEJO) where she teaches fish
safety and provides translation services.
In the end, Moua remains committed to helping communities new to the United States and this dedication remains rooted in her very first
experiences here.
“I am trying to do as much as I can to help others succeed,” she said.
For more information about UW Extension’s Nutrition Education Program or the free ESL classes provided at Sherman United Methodist
Church, contact Kazoua Moua at (608)-224-3644.
(Reprinted from AW-Sept. 2007)
By Laura Salinger
Crossing the Mekong is a memory that pops into Kazoua Moua’s mind with color vision
accuracy. Although she was only six or seven at the time, Moua clearly remembers the sound of
gunshots and the endless walking — day and night — to reach safety. It was an arduous journey
that many Hmong embarked on when the Laotian government, under the control of Pathet Lao,
began persistently persecuting Hmong communities. Crossing the Mekong River into Thailand was
the last, and often most perilous, leg of the journey.
Moua’s family — herself, mother, father, and older brother — attempted crossing the Mekong
twice. Moua’s mother couldn’t swim and the family used bamboo as a tether to connect each other
as they swam across the river. Their second attempt was successful.
Although they finally reached relative safety within Thai borders, Moua’s family soon faced the
gnawing reality that their challenges were far from over. They were placed in a refugee camp that
was overcrowded and severely lacking in proper sanitation.
“The camp was packed with Hmong, Laotians and Cambodians,” Moua explained. “Many,
many people got sick and died at that camp.”
After three months in nearly uninhabitable living conditions, the family moved to the Ban Binai
refugee camp where living conditions improved and Moua was educated in both the Laotian and
Crossing the Mekong is a memory that pops into Kazoua Moua’s mind with color vision
accuracy. Although she was only six or seven at the time, Moua clearly remembers the sound of
gunshots and the endless walking — day and night — to reach safety. It was an arduous journey
that many Hmong embarked on when the Laotian government, under the control of Pathet Lao,
began persistently persecuting Hmong communities. Crossing the Mekong River into Thailand was
the last, and often most perilous, leg of the journey.
Moua’s family — herself, mother, father, and older brother — attempted crossing the Mekong
twice. Moua’s mother couldn’t swim and the family used bamboo as a tether to connect each other
as they swam across the river. Their second attempt was successful.
Although they finally reached relative safety within Thai borders, Moua’s family soon faced the
gnawing reality that their challenges were far from over. They were placed in a refugee camp that
was overcrowded and severely lacking in proper sanitation.
“The camp was packed with Hmong, Laotians and Cambodians,” Moua explained. “Many,
many people got sick and died at that camp.”
After three months in nearly uninhabitable living conditions, the family moved to the Ban Binai
refugee camp where living conditions improved and Moua was educated in both the Laotian and
Kazoua Moua
