Dzaleka Online now has an iPhone app
I recently put the Dzaleka Online app on the App Store.
Dzaleka Online started as a place to publish stories from Dzaleka Refugee Camp. I wanted those stories to be easier to find, easier to share, and less dependent on scattered social media posts or old links passed around in group chats.
The app comes from the same problem. People already read Dzaleka Online on phones. The iPhone app gives them a quicker way to open the site, follow updates, save stories, and return later.
What is in the first version
The first version is simple on purpose. It brings together the main parts of Dzaleka Online:
- Community news
- Refugee stories
- Videos and photos
- Services, jobs, and events
- Saved stories for offline reading
- Notifications, widgets, and quick actions
Offline reading was one of the features I cared about most. Internet access in and around Dzaleka is not always stable. If someone saves a story while connected, they should be able to read it later without starting again from zero.
Why I wanted this on mobile
Dzaleka Refugee Camp was established in 1994 in Malawi’s Dowa District, about 41 kilometres from Lilongwe. It was designed for a much smaller population than it now carries. Dzaleka Online’s camp profile notes over 52,000 refugees and asylum seekers at the end of 2024, with local data listing 57,438 people as of 31 March 2025.
I keep those numbers in mind while designing. When many people are looking for services, school information, jobs, rights information, events, and community updates, the path to that information should be short.
An app cannot fix food cuts, overcrowding, school access, or legal uncertainty. Its job is narrower: reduce the distance between someone and the information they need.
Download
The iPhone app is available now: Dzaleka Online on the App Store.
I also published the launch note on Dzaleka Online: Dzaleka Online App Launching Soon - A New Way to Stay Connected.