Where: Dzaleka Refugee Camp
What: IAFR is facilitating a kanisa ndugu (sister church) relationship between two refugee churches and a church in the USA. We are partnering with There Is Hope Malawi, a Malawian non profit.
The relationship has proven to be a blessing to everyone involved. The US church has been inspired and challenged by the generosity, hospitality, faith and faithfulness of the refugee churches. The refugee churches have been blessed by the fellowship and partnership of their sister church in the US.
The churches have partnered together on several projects initiated by the refugee churches, including:
- the first women's ministry conference held in the camp
- roofing a Malawian village church planted by a refugee church
- paying secondary school fees for 26 Malawian orphans for whom a refugee church is caring
- installing 2 grain mills in the camp as a micro enterprise intended to generate income to support ministries of a refugee church
- purchasing pigs for a micro enterprise intended to generate income to support ministries of Malawian churches planted by refugees
Context: A political prison was transformed into the Dzaleka refugee camp in response to the massive influx of refugees from Africa's Great Lakes region in 1994. The refugee camp population is estimated to be over 11,000, with the primary people groups coming from D.R. Congo, Burundi, Ethiopia, Eritrea and Somalia.
Click here to view the IAFR Dzaleka refugee camp photo gallery.
More Information: BBC Country Profile | UNHCR | There Is Hope Malawi