The problem of displaced people

There Is Hope is a Malawian non-governmental organization (NGO) providing refugees of Dzaleka refugee camp, as well as their Dowa host community, with access to education and income generating activities and strengthening their spiritual well-being. Our vision is to see them escape poverty and become self-reliant.

This 5-minute video produced by Lindi van Niekerk and Alexa Sedgwick captures everything that we stand for.

Political turbulence in many regions of the world has increased the number of displaced people fleeing complex emergencies and disasters. They often end up in large camps where environmental health measures are insufficient. Refugees are people who have crossed an international frontier and are at risk or have been victims of persecution in their country of origin. Internally displaced persons (IDPs), on the other hand, have not crossed an international frontier, but have, for whatever reason, also fled their homes.

At There Is Hope, we believe that the impact of any work which seeks to graduate refugees from a dependency on aid will only reach its full potential when Malawi extends the rights of employment, freedom of movement, integration and access to public education to refugees. We have designed an extensive program aimed at lobbying the government to update its legislation, while bringing greater national awareness to the refugee issue. Allowing refugees to be part of the workforce will not only release refugees from destitution, but it will benefit Malawi with the resilience, determination and innovation that refugees have developed over many painful years.

There Is Hope has already come a long way – through our work we have been able to benefit refugee and Malawian communities alike.

Latest updates

View more posts from the blog.

Esther Niyokwizera in her secondary school days at Bzyanzi Secondary School.

21 November 2024 / Read more

Excelling Against the Odds

The journey to success for 18-year-old Esther Niyokwizera began down the dusty paths of Dzaleka Refugee Camp, home throughout her life. From almost giving up on her education, sitting for her MSCE while sick and without studying Esther’s story gives reason for rejoicing in triumph over adversity – made of determination, hard work, and the transformative power of education. Read through the transformative power of our Education Scholarship program.

2 October 2024 / Read more

Crafting a Future Beyond Circumstance

At 22 years old, Christopher Namalanga is a testament to the resilience and resourcefulness of Malawi’s youth. As the fourth child in a family of five, Christopher’s life took an unexpected turn when he had to drop out of secondary school to support his family after a tragic accident left his father, an international truck driver, unable to work due to a lower limb amputation. Christopher tried out different trades before realizing that carpentry was his true calling, motivated by his commitment to take care of his family.

The Graduating Class of Leadership Development Course, 2022 to 2024.

3 September 2024 / Read more

Empowering Communities Through Leadership Development

Dzaleka Centre, Dowa District, Malawi — Against the backdrop of the sun-drenched Dzaleka Refugee Camp, a remarkable celebration unfolded as 33 individuals stepped onto the stage at There Is Hope’s Training Centre. Their hearts brimmed with hope and determination, marking a pivotal moment—the graduation ceremony of There Is Hope’s Two-Year Bible School Course in Leadership Development. Malawi, and the Dzaleka Refugee Camp will never be the same.

24 April 2025 / Read more

From Camp to Confidence: How a Scholarship Sparked a New Beginning

When Mufariji Malasi escaped from the Democratic Republic of Congo to Malawi in 2016, the 19-year-old refugee faced an uncertain future. Rebuilding his education in a new country involved tackling language barriers, cultural adjustments, and financial difficulties. However, thanks to a scholarship program from There Is Hope, Malasi’s journey transformed into one of growth through […]

Our Vision

Sustainable livelihood through self-reliance and economic well-being for refugees and host communities in designated areas in Malawi.

Our Mission

We are dedicated to unlocking potential by providing refugees and their host communities with access to opportunities for education, artisan skills and spiritual well-being to foster a robust foundation for self-reliance, dignity, and shared harmony.

Our Story

The work and nature of There Is Hope is directly linked to the life and story of the organization’s Founder and former Executive Director, Innocent Magambi. Innocent lived as a refugee for more than 27 years, beginning as a small child, and knows firsthand the struggle and misfortune of displaced people fleeing economic crisis or military conflicts. Innocent debunks many common misconceptions about refugees and is dedicated to sharing the reality of what it means to be a refugee. As founder, he shares his vision for the plight of displaced people and encourages everyone he comes in contact with to understand why – and just how much – their help is needed to make a difference and change lives.

An Innovative Approach

For us, charity work is not a matter of giving handouts but empowering beneficiaries to make the best out of their situation. We believe that poverty is not so much a lack of material possessions as it is a state of mind developed through culture, beliefs and debilitating circumstances. Challenging this state of mind with love, compassion and care can transform a person’s attitude to the extent that they go on to become a source of inspiration and support to those around them.

Our greatest resource at There Is Hope is not the money we are able to raise but the time invested in our beneficiaries – listening, understanding and sharing in their suffering and joy. By forming authentic relationships, we gain guidance about what their real needs are, and then embark on the transformation journey together.

There Is Hope strives to bring positive transformation to the lives of both refugees and Malawians. Our goal is to ensure that these people achieve self-dependence.

All programs are offered on a non-discriminatory basis and strive to engender our key values.

The situation in Malawi

Malawi, famously known as “the Warm Heart of Africa”, is a sub-Saharan landlocked country located in southeastern Africa.

Bordered by Tanzania to the northeast, Mozambique on the east, south and west, and Zambia to the northwest, Malawi obtained independence from the British in 1964. Despite a peaceful history and a democratic political structure, Malawi is one of the poorest countries in the world. Its estimated population of 18 million is one of the fastest growing worldwide. 45.1% of the total population is under 15 years old while life expectancy at birth stands at 56.7 years for men and 59.9 for women (UN, 2016).

More than half of Malawians live on less than $1 per day and the vast majority rely on subsistence farming. Industry is limited and major exports include tea, coffee, sugar and tobacco.

Refugees and asylum seekers in Malawi originate primarily from the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Ethiopia, Somalia, and more recently, Mozambique. Some of these people are the children and grandchildren of people who fled conflicts as far back as the 1970s, living in refugee camps in other countries before moving to Malawi in search of better opportunities.

It is in this difficult environment that There Is Hope works with refugees and their host community to provide access to business development, education and spiritual development programs.

There Is Hope runs a wide range of programs to help the refugee community in Dzaleka refugee camp. We strongly believe that real help is much more than just the emergency response to the basic needs of people in crisis. Our aim is to educate, train and empower vulnerable and displaced people, giving them the dignity, respect, sense of belonging, care and love that they need to survive – and ultimately – to thrive.

Vocational Training

Vocational training is one of the tools of accelerating economic growth and alleviating poverty in developing countries such as Malawi. As There is Hope, we subscribe to that notion, so much so that we tailor our vocational programme towards the youth, who are seen as the drivers of economic growth – being the largest group of the population in Malawi.

Leadership Development Program

For change to effectively take root in a rural African setting, the whole community must be involved and the change must be accepted and endorsed by the leaders.

Social Enterprise

A sustainable income can transform families by providing necessary goods and services, increasing a sense of dignity and by allowing parents to be positive role models to the next generation.

Advocacy

We believe that the impact of any work which seeks to graduate refugees out of aid dependency will only reach its full potential when Malawi extends to refugees the rights of employment, freedom of movement, integration and access to public education.

Education Scholarships

There is Hope values education as a transformational tool that sharpens minds and a movable capital that can be utilized wherever people end up in life. We provide scholarship funding for secondary and university studies for young people with potential which would otherwise be choked by lack of finances. Our work is designed to benefit both refugees and local residents from surrounding villages as a large portion of these populations will struggle to access education.

Support Our Work Today

Join our cause of promoting self-reliance among the refuge community and their host community by making a donation.

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We thank our valued partners.

Crisis and recovery