Gadling

I interned with the State Department in Malawi in 2004. During the 10 weeks I spent there, I got the chance to visit Dzaleka. Originally a prison camp (the name literally, and frighteningly, translates as "You will stop!"), it now serves as a refugee camp for dispaced people from throughout central Africa. When I was there, the State Department was officially unveiling a clinic that USAID funds had paid for.

I was stuck by the appalling living conditions many of the refugees faced: some lived in mere lean-tos, and the refugees were required to build their own homes and bathing/bathroom facilities. (To do this, many scavenged for bits of junk to use as walls, windows, ceilings, etc.)

However, I was also impressed with the creativity they demonstrated. They had built an impromptu market, set up barber shops, and sent their kids to school. Unfortunately, while self-development is encouraged, there was a sense of permanence about the place. It was a refugee camp, after all, but no one seemed like they were planning to move any time soon. They lived there, had businesses there. Some even had cell phones! It was a difficult day, and I was filled with ambivalence, but I'm thrilled to have experienced Dzaleka.

If you want to learn more about Dzaleka, Darkstar has an excellent narrative about his visit:
http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/guest.pl?tweb_tripID=africa_05&tweb_UID=darkstar&tweb_entryID=1130059380&tweb_guest_password=&tweb_PID=tpod

along with some representative photos:
http://www.travelpod.com/cgi-bin/view_all_images.pl?tweb_UID=darkstar&tweb_tripID=africa_05&tweb_entryID=1130059380&tweb_guest_password=&tweb_PID=tpod&POPUP=YES

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