Easy Read
About Dzaleka
Simple facts about where Dzaleka is, when it opened, and how large it is now.
What is Dzaleka?
Dzaleka is a refugee camp in Malawi.
It is in Dowa District, about 41 kilometres from Lilongwe.
When did Dzaleka start?
Dzaleka opened in 1994.
UNHCR says the camp was first set up for about 10,000 to 12,000 people.
How many people live there?
The camp is much larger now than it was meant to be.
UNHCR said on 12 June 2025 that Dzaleka was hosting over 52,000 people as of 31 December 2024.
Where do people come from?
People in Dzaleka come from several countries.
UNHCR lists the largest groups as people from the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia, and Ethiopia.
What do these words mean?
A refugee is a person who had to leave home to be safe.
An asylum seeker is a person asking for protection in another country.
Do the numbers stay the same?
No. Population numbers can change over time.
This guide uses public information, but the latest figures can go up or down.
Facts checked on 18 April 2026
The camp location and current population figure come from the UNHCR Malawi country page. The opening year and original planned capacity come from the UNHCR data portal for Malawi.
- UNHCR Malawi country page
Accessed 18 April 2026. It says most refugees in Malawi live in Dzaleka, about 41 km from Lilongwe, and that the camp was hosting over 52,000 people at the end of 2024.
- UNHCR data portal for Malawi
Accessed 18 April 2026. It says Dzaleka was set up in 1994 and was originally intended for about 10,000 to 12,000 people.