Projects

After witnessing firsthand the powerful role art plays for Dzaleka residents—as a means of self-expression, stress relief, accomplishment, and joy—Pennington students felt compelled to help expand those opportunities. They envisioned and committed to building an art classroom at Dzaleka that would nurture creativity and provide a dedicated space for artistic exploration.

Working collaboratively with Dzaleka students and teachers, the Pennington team designed key furnishings for the space, including easels, a stage, and desks to support both visual and performing arts. With guidance from artist Perry Milou, they also began designing a mural that will bring color, identity, and shared meaning to the classroom walls.Perry Milou will lead the painting of the wall mural with Penington and Dzaleka students in June 2026. 

Art Classroom

Students from The Pennington School in NJ, USA and students from the Dzaleka schools, a refugee camp in Malawi, partnered to write and illustrate a children’s book about emotions. Perry Milou, a pop artist in NJ, supported this collaboration by providing a creative structure. A pairing of students from each school were given an emotion to describe in a poem and through art. The first draft of the book is poised to be published in late 2026.

Spread Your love to Dzaleka

Learn more about Perry Milou

Why this matters?

For students living in Dzaleka Refugee Camp, access to quality education and creative resources is extremely limited. Classrooms are often overcrowded, underfunded, and focused only on basic learning. Opportunities for self-expression, imagination, and creative growth are limited, yet these are essential for young people who have experienced displacement and trauma.

Art and storytelling give students more than just skills; they provide a voice. Creative spaces allow children to process their experiences, build confidence, and see themselves as a voice that has ideas worth sharing. A dedicated art classroom and a children’s book designed with and for students at Dzaleka create opportunities for expression, connection, and hope.