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Liberians Arrive
Liberians Arrive in Fargo, North Dakota
by Jim McGeorge, FOL Membership Coordinator
The Forum
of Fargo (ND) – Moorhead (MN) reports that two groups of Liberians
have been resettled through Fargo’s Center for New Americans to the
Fargo, North Dakota area. The Center works under the auspices of
Lutheran Social Services of North Dakota.
The first group of 25 Liberians arrived in September
2003 and another 40 Liberians have been resettled since then.
Liberians are the largest refugee group to resettle in North Dakota
in the past year. For the first time, nearly all of the newly placed
refugees in North Dakota are from Africa, primarily Liberia, Sudan
and Somalia.
The Fargo public schools are helping Liberians to
become more proficient with reading and writing English by offering
English as a Second Language classes. There is even an African
grocery store in Fargo that sells palm butter, maggi cubes, cassava
leaves, fufu and many other favorites.
The Forum reports that Liberians are developing a
community in Fargo. For example, they take care of each other’s
children when parents are working. Those who have been in Fargo
longer mentor new arrivals and do things together.
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