Housing and overcrowding

From temporary site to dense settlement

Dzaleka was designed for between 10,000 and 12,000 people. UNHCR reported more than 52,000 residents at the end of 2024. The difference between planned capacity and actual population is visible in the settlement’s dense housing, narrow lanes, pressure on public facilities, and limited room for new arrivals.

Homes vary in age and construction. Common materials include earth or fired brick, timber, metal roofing, grass, and reused sheeting. Some long-established households have improved their homes over time, while newly arrived or vulnerable families may face difficulty securing adequate shelter.

Land constraints

Limited space affects more than housing. It reduces room for household latrines, drainage, waste collection points, gardens, roads, play areas, and institutional expansion. UNHCR’s August 2024 fact sheet noted that it was particularly difficult to increase household sanitation facilities in older sections of the camp because of limited space.

Overcrowding as a service issue

Overcrowding increases demand for classrooms, health services, water points, and food assistance. It can also make fire prevention, drainage, infection control, privacy, disability access, and protection more difficult. These issues are connected: a housing shortage cannot be understood separately from water, sanitation, health, and legal policy.

Interpreting photographs

The photographs on this page show particular streets and homes, not a complete survey of housing conditions. They document visible features of the built environment but should be read alongside population and household data.