Malawi – Dzaleka Refugee Camp – 2015 to 2021

The number of people who have fled to Malawi has risen from almost 17.000 in 2013 to more than 40.000 in 2020 and new asylum-seekers, particularly from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, are arriving each month.

Most of those of concern to UNHCR live in Dzaleka refugee camp, which has a population of nearly 34.000, near the capital Lilongwe.

The work of UNHCR focuses on ensuring refugees and asylum-seekers to receive international protection and have access to education and health care, as well as food, shelter, water and sanitation, and have the opportunity to earn a living.

UNHCR is working with the Government of Malawi to gain support amongst other issues for the integration of refugees into national systems and the decongestion of Dzaleka camp. The government has indicated its intention to roll out Comprehensive Refugee Response Framework in Malawi.

Werner Schellenberg in Dzakleka, 2019 foto © studio karonga

Werner Schellenberg has been working in Dzaleka as Senior Shelter Advisor to UNHCR since 2016 to improve the shelter situation, to explore alternative and further camp sites, to extend the camp in order to decongest the existing settlements and to improve sanitation and security of refugees.


Dzaleka Refugee Camp Improvement


Dzaleka Refugee Camp Extension


Inspection Tour to Northern Malawi October 2019