In Malawi, 70% of people live under the poverty line. Yet despite limited resources the country hosts over 50,000 refugees, primarily from Burundi, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Rwanda.  Refugees in Malawi are not allowed to seek formal employment, enroll in education programs outside camps, or integrate into the host community.  In 2023, the government issued a “forced encampment” policy, which gave all refugees throughout Malawi less than one month to relocate to Dzaleka Refugee Camp.  Even those who had lived in Malawi for decades were forcibly relocated to Dzaleka’s cramped quarters.  With Dzaleka’s 50,000 residents subsisting on $5.90/month food stipends, an estimated 99% are experiencing acute food insecurity. 

One Day’s Wages is partnering with Solidarity of Refugee Women for the Social Welfare (SOFERES) – a grassroots nonprofit founded by and for refugees – to support 30 of the most vulnerable women in Dzaleka Refugee Camp.  These strong women farmers are learning climate-resilient methods of farming and raising goats.  SOFERES is also mobilizing the formation of agricultural cooperatives so that the women can access start-up capital, save funds, and sell their produce and goats for income.  Despite the exceptionally challenging circumstances they face, our partnership with SOFERES is creating practical pathways toward greater resilience.