No Child Should Sleep Cold

Small bodies curl up on hard ground as the night air settles in.
The typical white refugee tents do little to keep out the cold. No mattress to soften the floor. No blanket to hold in warmth. Just another long night to endure.

In the Dzaleka refugee camp, in the heart of Malawi, 35 of the most vulnerable children in our care are sleeping like this every night. Around them are many worn white tents stretching across dusty ground, filled with families who have fled conflict from places like the Democratic Republic of Congo, Rwanda, Burundi, and other African nations.

This is not a temporary stop for many — it has become home. Some were born here. Some arrived after long, uncertain journeys. Some came with parents. Others came alone — or carried in the arms of a stranger who became their only way to safety.

In recent times, several major refugee organizations have withdrawn or reduced their support in the camp. What remains is a community trying to survive with very little. And in the middle of it all… are children trying to sleep through the cold.

As full-...