This story first appeared in JRS INSIDER, a monthly newsletter including stories of impact across JRS global.

More than 62,000 refugees were living in Malawi as of June 2026, approximately 93% of them in Dzaleka Refugee Camp. Originally built to accommodate 12,000 people, Dzaleka has grown considerably as people have fled conflict, instability, or government persecution in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC), Burundi, and Rwanda. 

Malawi has remained relatively stable in recent years, including holding peaceful elections and seeing an orderly transfer of power in 2025. But the country continues to face significant economic challenges, remaining one of the world’s poorest and most aid-dependent nations while it hosts tens of thousands of refugees, many of whom have been there for decades.  

For people living in Dzaleka, those pressures are felt every day. Opportunities to continue education, find work, and build new skills are extremely limited. Access to technology presents another barrier, particularly as digital skills increase in importance in education and employment. 

That is where the Pathfinder Digital Inclusion Program comes in. 

Through Pathfinder, JRS Malawi is helping refugees and members of the host community build digital literacy and English language skills and learn to navigate online learning platforms. 

Demand has been significant. Community outreach efforts reached thousands in Dzaleka and neighboring communities. During the first half of 2026, nearly 300 participants enrolled, exceeding targets.  

What I’ve found most inspiring is how quickly participants are putting what they’ve learned to use. 

Pauline*, a refugee from the DRC, came to the program with little experience using email, Microsoft Office, or digital design platforms. Now, she uses each of these tools in her studies and work. 

She works a lot in Canva. One of her first projects was a simple birthday card for her friend. But in making it, she discovered an interest she hadn’t considered and confidence she had not possessed before. 

“Learning Canva has inspired me to consider becoming a professional designer in the future,” she shared. 

Her confidence has carried into other areas of her life. Pauline says she is now comfortable speaking in front of others, asking questions, conducting research, and participating in virtual meetings. 

Michel*, another refugee from the DRC, had a similar experience. Through Pathfinder, he learned to use tools including Google Workspace, Slack, and Canva, three tools he had previously wanted to explore but lacked access to. 

“I have also shared some of these skills with members of my community,” he said. “I am able to help them learn basic digital literacy and design.” 

What stands out to me about Michel’s story is that the impact of education rarely stops with one person. Skills are shared. Knowledge spreads. Communities become stronger. 

That spirit of empowerment is at the heart of JRS’s work. 

The JRS Malawi team experiences challenges, including limited technology access for some learners and frequent power outages. Yet they remain committed to making opportunities accessible, providing hands-on support, expanding access to equipment, and creating spaces where people can learn, grow, and imagine new possibilities together. 

I am reminded that hope is rarely loud. More often, it is found in small classrooms, new skills learned, confidence gained, and different futures imagined. 

Perhaps that is why this program gives me so much hope. In a world that often seems determined to divide and diminish, refugees in Malawi are learning, teaching one another, creating, and preparing for lives with more possibilities. 

One new skill at a time, the possibilities grow. 

*Names changed to protect anonymity