Driven by the weight of isolation and a desire for connection, our dedicated team journeyed to Dowa on March 20, 2025, where they encountered the transformative work of the Fountain of Hope organization at the Dzaleka refugee settlement. They were warmly welcomed by Jacques, Morisho, a passionate representative who showcased the organization’s comprehensive approach to community empowerment.
The day’s most powerful moment came during an exchange with standard 8 and form 1 students, where formal interactions of our Achinyamata Ojaka Mental Health Project transformed into deep sharing of life experiences. In that space, hope became tangible energy that bridged circumstance gaps and offered a collective vision of possibility, demonstrating how true community healing occurs when with compassion a listening ear, enabling individuals to tell their own stories of resilience.
The students and staff expressed the great need to establish a mental health club as part of the school’s activity. “When we first arrive here at the camp, we are placed in a 40-day quarantine tent. This is the most difficult time to process things as you are all alone. We need help there because after the 40 days, you have to look for your own place of stay, something which is very terrifying as you do not know where to begin”, he expressed. MATCH Foundation plans to establish a mental health club through Fountain of Hope as a sustainability plan for the project.
This project is made possible with funding from the Segal Family Foundation.
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