As WFP funding for refugee assistance runs out in June, Dzaleka Refugee Camp in Dowa District faces a deepening food crisis that could leave tens of thousands of people without reliable rations.
The emergency is compounded by United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) revelations that its funding towards refugee operations in the country was trimmed by 90 percent because of US Government aid cuts.
World Food Programme (WFP) country director Hyoung‑Joon Lim said confirmed contributions currently cover only partial assistance and are secured through June 2026.
The agency still requires about $11 million (roughly K19 billion) to restore full rations for refugees at Dzaleka through December 2026. Without new funding, WFP may be forced to reduce rations further or suspend assistance altogether.
“The funding gap remains critical,” Lim said in a written response. “Confirmed funding currently supports only partial assistance and is secured up to June 2026.
Without new contributions, WFP may be forced to reduce rations further or suspend assistance altogether.”
He added that reduced cash and food rations are already forcing refugees to skip meals, eat smaller portions and adopt negative coping strategies that heighten nutritional risks for vulnerable groups.
UNHCR national office head Precision Nkoka also confirmed the agency’s budget fell from $8 million (about K13 billion) last year to $1 million (about K1.7 billion) this year, a 90 percent reduction that has constrained support for both food and non‑food programmes at Dzaleka.
About 60 000 refugees and asylum seekers live at Dzaleka, originally designed for 10 000 to 12 000 people. Many residents say they rely entirely on humanitarian assistance.
Monga Bilombele, 25, from the Democratic Republic of Congo, told Nation on Sunday the prospect of cuts is traumatic.
Bilombele, who has lived in the camp since 2018, said he and five siblings depend on monthly stipends and occasional food distributions.
“WFP used to provide maize, beans and other supplies. We used to get a package that sustained us for a month. But with time, WFP told us they are short of funds,” he said. Bilombele added that cash assistance has fluctuated.
“We used to receive about K12 000 per month per person. We are now receiving about K21 000. This helps us survive, but I can’t imagine the moment this stops,” he said.
Camp residents include large numbers from the DRC, Burundi and Rwanda with smaller Somali and Ethiopian communities. Many are unable to work because of Malawi’s encampment policy, which the government enforced in March 2023 and which requires refugees living in urban and rural areas to relocate to Dzaleka.
Inua Advocacy, a civil society organisation that advocates for refugee rights in Malawi thinks aid cut will be catastrophic.
Inua Advocacy Executive director Innocent Magambi said the crisis underscores the need to permit refugees to work and to scale up livelihood programmes.
“It is sad to hear that WFP is struggling to get funding for food for refugees which helps them survive. I think this is the right time for us to push for refugees’ rights so they can be allowed to work and utilise their talents,” said Magambi, a former refugee himself.
WFP’s Lim warned that funding shortfalls also limit complementary services such as nutrition support, livelihoods and resilience‑building activities, undermining long‑term planning and stability in the camp.
Commissioner for Refugees General Ignacio Maulana (retired) said the government is aware of the funding gaps and is seeking alternatives to protect refugees’ welfare. He did not provide details on specific contingency plans.
Dzaleka was established in 1994 by the Government of Malawi and UNHCR to shelter people fleeing genocide and conflict in the Great Lakes region. Over three decades, the camp has grown far beyond its original capacity, stretching services and infrastructure.
Humanitarian agencies say urgent donor support is needed to avert a humanitarian emergency. WFP’s appeal for $11 million to restore full rations through December 2026 remains outstanding; confirmed funding only guarantees partial assistance until June.
With UNHCR’s budget slashed, the combined shortfall threatens not only food security but also health, education and protection services for the camp’s most vulnerable residents.
