We seldom hear anything about Malawi and very few people know of its existence. It is one of the poorest countries in the world.  Still, because of its stability compared to other countries in Africa, it has become home to thousands of refugees. The Dzaleka refugee camp, near the capital Lilongwe, is overpopulated with more than 42,000 people living in extreme poverty conditions.  On average, the wait for resettlement is 17 years.   

 

Jacques Kabongo’s story is proof that with opportunity and the right tools to succeed, refugees can not only escape poverty and become self-reliant, but they can also give back to their community.  It is of critical importance to share Jacques’ story to create awareness around the refugee crisis in Malawi and what is being done to combat it. Thanks to There is Hope, a Malawian NGO providing access to education and income generating activities to the refugees, Jacque has a real success story to share.  The goal of Home Storytellers is to tell this inspiring personal story to our global community and give a direct route to make real positive impact for Malawian refugees so they too can have opportunities and a fair chance in our interconnected world.