I am a 31-year-old mother of five, now living in Dzaleka refugee camp, Malawi. My journey from Congo DRC is one of war, betrayal, and relentless survival.
At age seven, I was separated from my biological family while sleeping during a war in Congo DRC. I was taken in by another family but eventually had to run away. I later found refuge at a church, where I met and married a wonderful man, and we started our peaceful life.
When my husband and I embraced a new spiritual path, it unfortunately made us targets. Powerful people, including former business associates and influential government figures, saw our faith as a betrayal and plotted against us. They falsely accused my husband of dealing with terrorists. The persecution escalated to violence: our driver was killed, our home was broken into, I was assaulted, and my husband was kidnapped. When corrupt police arrived the next morning threatening to arrest me, I knew I had no choice but to take my limited money and flee instantly with my three children.
I escaped across borders, ultimately seeking protection in Malawi. After being briefly detained, I was brought to the Dzaleka refugee camp in 2016. My husband eventually managed to escape his captors and joined us here.
While we are together, life in the camp is a miserable, daily fight for food, shelter, and security. This is not the end of our story—it is a testament to our survival.