Dzaleka Refugee Camp Classroom Construction

Hello! Please join me in raising funds for the Integrity Orientation Centre, an incredible school in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, where most of the Malawi's 36,000 refugees live. Over half of these refugees are children, and over half of these children do not have access to any formal education.

Refugees are currently prohibited from formal employment in Malawi, even though some have lived in the country for over twenty years. Malawi also operates under a strict encampment policy, meaning most refugees must live within this camp rather than choosing where to live throughout the country. This limits their options for school, healthcare, and informal employment opportunities as well. 

IOC School was started by a pastor and his community, who gave up their own food rations to sell them and use the profits to fund the initial construction of the school as they did not have access to other forms of income. From a preschool with two classrooms and eighty-five students, the school had grown to seven classrooms, eight grade levels, and 513 students. With a fundraiser we conducted last year, the school built several new classrooms and latrines to add space for over 300 new students and expand to higher grade levels. However, they still turn away hundreds of students each year due to lack of space, and once students reach 7th grade, they age out of the school and many do not continue on to high school.

I worked in Malawi for ten months, largely in Dzaleka Refugee Camp and have visited the school twice. All the students are inquisitive, attentive, and achieving learning outcomes at or above grade level—all while learning in English, often their second, third, or even fourth language. The school also provides opportunities for work for refugees who were school principals, teachers, and administrators in their home countries but are not formally allowed to work within the Malawian educational system. It is entirely run by the refugee community in Dzaleka, but given the community's limited resources, they are in need of external support for their continued expansion.

If students in Dzaleka Refugee Camp finish their secondary education, they can complete an online higher education diploma and bachelor's degree. This program run by Jesuit Worldwide Learning opens the possibility to receive a college education from within Dzaleka and significantly expands their future job opportunities.

The funds raised through this project will help to build at least one additional classroom to add a grade level and at least two classes, allowing students to continue their education another year. They will also be used to build the school's first library and fund books and equipment for it. Funds will pay for construction materials, labor, transportation costs, and the building of new desks and chairs. Construction is slated to begin as soon as funds are received, with the new rooms open by September to begin the new school year, so please donate early if possible!

I am so deeply grateful for your support for this project, and would like to thank all those working at IOC School in Dzaleka for the hard work that they do to run the school every day. I can convey their appreciation for any donations to support the school's work as well. The successful funding of this project will allow at least 100 more students to attend school next year (and many hundreds more in the years to come)! Thank you.

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If you'd like to know more about refugee policy generally, Malawi particularly, or my connection to this project, I am happy to answer any and all questions or provide as much information as you'd like!