Introducing the Dzaleka Encyclopedia

The Dzaleka Encyclopedia is now available on Dzaleka Online Services.

It is a public reference about Dzaleka Refugee Camp: where it is, how it developed, who has shaped its institutions, and how education, health, law, livelihoods, culture, infrastructure, and humanitarian services intersect.

The collection now contains 47 entries. It includes an overview of the camp and articles on population, housing, water and sanitation, food security, refugee law, local livelihoods, refugee-led organisations, community radio, technology, education, arts, advocacy, books, documentary film, and people connected to Dzaleka’s public life.

A six-entry research collection documents Dzaleka’s inclusion in the 2024 Malawi Demographic and Health Survey. It separates the survey design from detailed records on household conditions, reproductive health, vaccination and nutrition, maternal care and malaria, employment, disability, and reported violence.

Built around sources

Population figures and service statistics change. The encyclopedia therefore avoids presenting them as permanent facts. Entries give the date and scope of the source, show the references used, and display when the article was last reviewed.

The initial research draws on material from UNHCR, the Government of Malawi, the Malawi National Statistical Office, the World Food Programme, the World Bank-UNHCR Joint Data Center, Jesuit Refugee Service, the Humanitarian OpenStreetMap Team, and organisations connected directly to Dzaleka.

Designed for reference

Readers can search the full collection, filter entries by subject or record type, or browse from A to Z. Each article includes:

a concise introduction and dated facts;
an on-page contents list;
photographs where a relevant record is available;
direct links to source documents;
related encyclopedia entries; and
structured metadata describing the article’s main person, place, organisation, event, book, film, or topic.

The structured metadata helps search engines understand how the pages and entities relate to one another. It does not guarantee any particular search feature or Knowledge Panel.

This is a community record

No edition can document every organisation, place, person, book, film, or historical detail connected to Dzaleka. Current and former residents, community organisations, researchers, families, writers, artists, filmmakers, and photographers are invited to help build the record. Constructive comments, questions, and suggestions are welcome.

The correction and contribution form accepts:

corrections to published entries;
newer or stronger sources;
missing context and names;
proposals for new entries;
biographies and organisation histories;
books, films, photographs, and other cultural records;
photographs shared with permission; and
public documents, archival material, or first-hand context that can lead editors to stronger sources.

Community testimony can identify missing names, events, and records. Public claims are still checked against available evidence before publication. Accepted changes receive an updated review date and source record. The editorial guidance explains how formal records, independent reporting, oral history, community archives, and organisational sources are assessed.

The encyclopedia also has a public developer API for searching, filtering, and reusing the collection in research, community tools, and other public-interest projects.