After watching young performers from Kaliyeka Arts Ensemble perform The Story of Love at Dzaleka Refugee Camp, many talented camp residents asked for the same arts training opportunity – and in 2017, the Dzaleka Arts Ensemble was born.
Dzaleka Refugee Camp, located in Dowa, Malawi houses 42,000 residents in a space originally meant for a few thousand. Refugees from war-torn African nations such as Congo, Burundi, Rwanda, Somalia come to Dzaleka traumatized, looking for hope. But in a severely overcrowded camp, with scant rations, no running water or sanitation, and few opportunities, life is chaotic and unpredictable. Our initial Story of Love auditions and early rehearsals reflected that reality. Little by little, the team formed and began to take their task seriously. As they started to believe in themselves, they opened up spiritually, emotionally and creatively. Every day they faced battles – illness, hunger, depression, a death in the family – but they wouldn’t quit. They had begun to see the beauty and meaning in what they were doing. They were part of something much larger than themselves.
The Kaliyeka Arts Ensemble traveled to Dzaleka to help train the new team. They laughed and learned together, shared meals together, prayed together.
After long months of hard work and grueling rehearsals, the team was ready to perform at multiple venues, in the camp, and outside the camp. They performed in Swahili and Chichewa, in churches and villages, and on open ground – always with excellence.
The Kaliyeka team traveled by bus to attend their first performance in the camp. Sitting in the front row, they cheered the Dzaleka performers on – yelling and whistling and applauding, full of joy and pride for their new friends.
Now a new Dzaleka Story of Love team is in training and the story continues!