Need urgent help? If you or someone you know is in immediate danger or at risk of suicide, please act now.
What can we help you
with today?
Whether you need someone to talk to, want to understand how you're feeling, or are here to support someone else — we're here for you.
I need urgent help
Crisis contacts, hotlines, and what to do if you or someone is in immediate danger.
Talk to someone
Connect with JRS counseling, IAFR, the health centre, or a trusted community support provider.
Learn about mental health
Understand depression, trauma, anxiety, grief, and what they feel like in the Dzaleka context.
Look after your wellbeing
Practical things you can do today — faith, sport, creative work, community connection, and daily habits.
Practical guide
What to say, what not to say, and concrete steps you can take when someone you care about is struggling.
Supporting a young person
Youth-specific guidance for parents, caregivers, teachers, mentors, and friends.
If someone is in danger
Go to the urgent help page immediately. Do not leave them alone if possible.
The mental health situation
Key data, research findings, and what the numbers actually mean for daily life in Dzaleka.
Why it's happening
Structural root causes: encampment, overcrowding, funding cuts, blocked livelihoods, and policy.
Evidence and sources
Peer-reviewed research, UNHCR data, and the full reference trail behind this page.
Find support in Dzaleka
We all have hard days. Sometimes things feel impossible. Having someone to talk to — someone who listens without judgment — can make a real difference. These services are available inside Dzaleka Camp.
Start here
Community & Humanitarian
JRS Malawi
Emergency assistance, education, and psychosocial support for refugees in Dzaleka Camp.
- Phone:
- +265 1 471 102
- Hours:
- Monday-Friday, 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM
- Location:
- Dzaleka Refugee Camp
Health
Dzaleka Health Centre
A 24/7 primary healthcare facility serving both Dzaleka Refugee Camp residents and surrounding Malawian communities
- Hours:
- Monday-Friday, 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM and Saturday, 7:30 AM - 12:00 PM
- Location:
- Dzaleka Refugee Camp, Dowa District
Health
Dzaleka Home Based Care
VerifiedProviding holistic care, psychosocial support, and nursing services to people living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic diseases in Dzaleka Refugee Camp.
- Phone:
- +265 994 270 397
- Hours:
- Friday
- Location:
- Dzaleka Refugee Camp
Community and wellbeing support
Religious Organizations
International Association for Refugees (IAFR)
An international Christian nonprofit agency devoted to the mission of helping people survive and recover from forced displacement.
info@iafr.org
Health
Fountain of Hope Africa
Health and wellbeing services for refugees and local communities.
+265 993 756753 info@fountainofhopeafrica.org
Education
There is Hope Malawi
Education and vocational training for refugees and host communities.
+265 212 273 688 comms@thereishopemalawi.org
Education
Dzaleka Dojo
Promotes arts, education, and health through martial arts training and community engagement.
+265 991 359 118 dzalekadojo@gmail.com
Non-profit Organizations
Psychological and Reflexology Reception Center
Psychological and Reflexology Reception Center is a non-profit organization working for the massage and psychological reception of the well-being of the public.
+265 992 521 781 psychological.reflexocenter@gmail.com
Contact details can change. Treat these as a starting point and confirm before traveling if you can. Browse all services →
Learn about mental health
Understanding what you're feeling is a powerful step. Mental health is not something that happens to "other people" — in Dzaleka, the research shows it affects nearly everyone. Here's what to know.
Depression
78% probable rate in the 2022 study
More than just feeling sad. Depression in Dzaleka often looks like exhaustion, losing interest in things, feeling nothing, sleeping too much or too little, or not caring about the future. It is not a weakness — it is a response to impossible conditions.
Read the research →Trauma and PTSD
Many residents carry pre-migration trauma
Flashbacks, nightmares, being easily startled, avoiding places or people — these can be signs of unprocessed trauma from violence, displacement, or loss. The body remembers what the mind tries to forget.
Anxiety and constant worry
"Msongo wa mawazo" — too many thoughts
A racing mind that won't stop. Worrying about food, safety, family, resettlement, documents. In Swahili it's often called msongo wa mawazo — when thoughts pile up and the body starts showing it through headaches, chest pain, or stomach problems.
Grief and loss
"Huzuni" — deep, abiding sadness
Losing a home, a country, a parent, a child, a language, a sense of who you are. Grief in Dzaleka is rarely about one event — it is ongoing, because the loss doesn't end. Many people carry it silently for years.
Suicidal thoughts
25.5% reported formulating a plan
If you are having thoughts of ending your life, please know: you are not alone, this is not your fault, and help exists. Go to Get help now or talk to someone you trust today.
The "waiting room" feeling
Learned helplessness from indefinite encampment
Waking up with nothing to do, nowhere to go, no rights to work, and no timeline for anything to change. This isn't laziness — it's what happens when the human need for purpose and progress is systematically blocked.
Read about structural causes →Look after your wellbeing
You don't have to wait until things are bad to start looking after yourself. Even small things — done regularly — can make a difference.
01
Break the stigma
Mental health is health. Naming trauma, exhaustion, fear, and hopelessness without shame is often the first step toward care.
02
Seek counseling
Use JRS, IAFR, the health centre, or a trusted referral partner. You do not need to be "crazy" to ask for help. Most people who seek support look and function like everyone else.
03
Build skills and purpose
Futurelessness deepens distress. Even small projects — learning, teaching someone else, creating — can help restore momentum.
04
Stay connected
Faith groups, sports, art, peer support, and events like the Tumaini Festival reduce isolation and strengthen everyday resilience.
Focus area
Supporting young people
Youth disenfranchisement is one of the sharpest wellbeing challenges in Dzaleka. When education no longer opens a believable future, emotional strain deepens. If you're a parent, caregiver, teacher, sibling, or mentor — there are things you can do.
Listen without judgment. Ask open questions. Don't tell them to "be strong" or "think positive" — just be present.
Watch for changes. Withdrawal, anger, substance use, loss of interest, giving away possessions, or talking about being a burden can be signs of serious distress.
Help them take the next step. Walk with them to JRS, the health centre, or a trusted adult. Don't leave a young person in crisis alone.
Take care of yourself too. Supporting someone in pain is exhausting. You need your own support network.
78%
Depression rate in study sample
A serious research signal from the 2022 Psychiatry Research paper.
53%
Report frequent thoughts of death
More than half of assessed individuals.
478%
Camp overcrowding factor
57,000+ people in a space designed for 12,000.
Practical next steps
Whether you need support for yourself or you're helping someone else — these are concrete things you can do today.
- 1 If you feel unsafe or have thoughts of self-harm, start with Get help now and seek in-person support as quickly as possible.
- 2 Do not wait for the problem to become unbearable. Many people describe distress as tiredness, pain, fear, "too many thoughts", or a feeling of having no future.
- 3 If language is a barrier, tell the person helping you which language you need. Ask them to help you find someone who speaks it.
- 4 If formal counseling feels too big a step, start with a church leader, home-based care team, sport group, or health worker you trust.
- 5 If you are helping someone else: stay calm, listen, avoid judgment, and help them move toward in-person care. Do not leave someone in crisis alone.
The mental health situation in Dzaleka
This is not a normal camp, and these are not normal numbers. The research shows a community where depression, suicidal thinking, and trauma are closer to universal than exceptional.
78%
Probable depression
Global average: ~3.8%
53%
Thoughts of death
More than half of assessed individuals
25.5%
Suicidal planning
1 in 4 formulated a plan
15%
Suicide attempts
In the 12 months prior to study
Source: Psychiatry Research, 2022 (study sample, not full census). Read our research summary →
Why it's happening
The mental health crisis in Dzaleka is structural, not just clinical. Understanding the root causes matters — especially if you are an advocate, researcher, or policy maker.
Encampment policy
The strict encampment policy restricts refugees from seeking employment outside the camp, forcing reliance on dwindling food rations. This loss of agency is a textbook precursor to "learned helplessness."
Overcrowding
Originally built for 12,000 people, the camp now hosts over 57,000. Large families crammed into single rooms, 324 communal latrines, zero privacy. The physical environment is a stressor.
Funding collapse
UNHCR has secured only 12–18% of required funding. WFP rations cut to 75%. Plan International withdrew. Health staff unpaid for months. The safety net has been stripped away.
The treatment gap
Severe distress remains untreated because people present with headaches, fatigue, or "too many thoughts" — not "depression." 78% prevalence, 2–3% service utilization.
Language barriers
Patients speak Kinyarwanda, Kirundi, Swahili, Somali, or Oromo. Clinicians often speak only English or Chichewa. Nuanced descriptions of emotional pain are lost in translation.
Blocked futures
Repatriation impossible. Local integration legally barred. Resettlement won by less than 1% annually. Young adults who finish education find themselves with nothing to do, nowhere to go.
Helpful resources and updates
Community news, programmatic updates, and new resources related to mental health and wellbeing in Dzaleka.
Announcement
Dzaleka Online Services
Announcing the launch of the new Dzaleka Wellbeing Hub
Dzaleka Online Services has launched a completely redesigned mental health platform, moving away from academic reporting to prioritize immediate crisis support and practical caregiver resources.
Read article
Announcement
Dzaleka Online Services Team
Over 100 Organizations Serving Dzaleka: Your Complete Guide to Community Services
Explore our extensive directory of services featuring healthcare, education, technology, arts, sports, and community support organizations - all working together to serve the Dzaleka community.
Read article
Community update
Dzaleka Online Services
How to Access Essential Services in Dzaleka Camp
A comprehensive guide to finding and using health, emergency, legal, and support services in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, including contact information for clinics, police, UNHCR, and key NGOs.
Read article
Sources and evidence
This page draws on peer-reviewed research, UNHCR operational data, and reporting from the humanitarian sector. We distinguish between evidence that makes clinical claims and contextual sources that provide background.
Core evidence
Peer-reviewed and official data behind the numbers on this page.
Operational & advocacy
Why wellbeing is inseparable from funding, rights, and policy.
Community resilience
Service models, community examples, and further reading.
Help us keep this page accurate. We strive to provide reliable and up-to-date information for the community. If you notice any incorrect details, outdated services, or missing context, please contact us to suggest an update.