Dzaleka’s tatami day mixed judo, community and a message for the future

Energy and pride ran through Dzaleka Refugee Camp on 16 May 2026 as the Judo Association of Malawi organised a Judo for Peace Open Day that brought together refugees, local communities and national judo leaders.

The event gave refugees in Dzaleka a chance to show how far they have come through judo. On the tatami, participants demonstrated technique, discipline and teamwork, while poems and cultural activities added a deeper human layer to the day and reflected the resilience of the camp’s community.

Near Lilongwe, Dzaleka hosts thousands of refugees and asylum seekers from several African countries, especially the Democratic Republic of Congo, Burundi, Rwanda and Somalia. Life there is marked by difficult conditions and limited opportunities, but the camp has also become an important place for education and sport, including Judo for Peace activities supported by the International Judo Federation.

A total of 60 refugees took part in the event, joined by four athletes from Lilongwe and ten more from nearby communities. That mix showed how judo is helping create real connections between people inside the camp and those living around it.

Among the guests were federation president Osbourne Banda, Mrs Bibi, chair of the Judo for Peace Women’s Commission, and guest of honour Alfred Banda, the chief cultural co-ordinator. Their presence underlined the importance of the programme not only as a sports activity, but also as a wider community effort.

In Dzaleka, the tatami became a meeting point for dignity and belonging.

The closing moment carried a strong message. Trees were planted inside the camp as part of the IJF Green Dojo programme, a global initiative encouraging environmental awareness and sustainable action across the judo community.

Green Dojo promotes practical steps such as recycling, reducing waste, environmental education and tree planting. At Dzaleka, that final activity felt especially meaningful. In a place often linked with displacement and uncertainty, planting trees stood as a symbol of growth, stability and hope.

The final act of the day was simple, but its meaning was powerful.

The Open Day showed that judo can be more than training and competition. Through discipline, mutual respect and solidarity, Judo for Peace is helping young refugees build confidence, form social bonds and look ahead with a stronger sense of possibility.

At Dzaleka, judo is not just practiced on the tatami. It is becoming part of how a community supports itself, shares its strength and keeps moving forward.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation