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What is Liberty Village?
Fox 5 NY and other news outlets got a tour of Liberty Village, which is a section of Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst where refugees from Afghanistan await permanent relocation in the U.S.
NEW JERSEY - 11,000 Afghan refugees are being temporarily housed at Joint Base McGuire-Dix-Lakehurst in Central New Jersey. The military base is one of 7 across the country housing Afghan refugees and is the largest.
40% of the refugees on the base are children under the age of 14.
On Thursday FOX 5 News was given access to Liberty Village on the base. It is composed of three villages. Reporters saw children attending English class, their make-shift urgent-care center, a pediatric office, an on-site pharmacy, and other medical clinics which are staffed with 150 providers and 200 nurses.
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There’s also a playground and a dining area that is open around the clock.
In village three there are 19 tents. Each tent houses about 515 people.
"We help them understand what is the new norm they are going to face here in the U.S.," said Air Force Staff Sergeant Javad Javid.
The refugees are learning how to live in America including learning English to understanding U.S. currency.
All the Afghans at the base are provided with necessities like food and clothing. There are also legal resources at the site.
As soon as they arrive at the base, the military says refugees go through an extensive health screening. Everyone eligible for the COVID-19 vaccine has received at least one dose, officials say.
Sana Khairi is 18 years old. She arrived at the base in October with her mom and 4 other family members. She is a writer and artist.
One of her works is a drawing of the American and Afghanistan flag together. She says it signifies the help the U.S. is providing to her and her people.
Through a translator, she said, "The past 47 days have been extraordinary."
Khairi says she now has big dreams. One of them is to become a successful doctor here in America.
"Just like any other Afghan girl I have a book of dreams in my mind," Khairi says.
25-year-old Silen Hussainzada arrived at the base on September 8th. She was evacuated from Kabul by the U.S. Air Force.
She was the only person in her family who was able to escape Afghanistan. She says leaving them all behind has been the hardest part.
Hussainzada said, "Mentally it’s very difficult when you think you are safe here and not your family it’s the most difficult part."
She says she is suffering from depression but keeps herself busy as a volunteer English teacher and translator at Liberty Village.
Her resettlement process is complete and will be leaving Liberty Village soon and heading to Ohio to start a new life.
Meanwhile, officials say that a new group of refugees is expected to arrive at the military base on Sunday.
The goal is to get everyone resettled by February 2022, but officials tell FOX 5 News that it could take longer.