Children Visit their parents in Prison

THE CHILDREN’S VISIT TO LUZIRA WOMEN PRISON

The children got to visit their parents in Luzira women prison on the 23rd of July 2010 and their parents were so happy. Before actual visit, we made a pre-visit to the prison to have the officers informed and also the inmates about the children’s visit. The women prepared chapatti and drinks for the children which made the children very happy. We took all together a total of 9 children two were of the same parent, other two of the same parent and other two also of the same parent the three other children had different parents. It was the first time for promise to visit her mother while in Luzira women prison and also for Denis it was the first time for him to visit his mother in prison. The mother is in the condemn section in women prison. Denis is a new child on the programme and is from Gulu district in northern Uganda which is very far from Kampala

The twins Einstein and Vincentia got to see their mother again for the second time since she was put in prison. The mother was happy and so were the children who ran out to meet her when she came in. the mother had got the children mathematical sets for them to use at school as well as pens they talked and the children discussed all that they had to tell the mother.

For promise she was overjoyed to see her mother and so was the mother who came in so happy carried her child and after which danced with a lot of joy. She was happy to see her child and also for the fact that she was no longer on death row but her sentence had been revised. She carried her daughter all through the session kept on thanking us from time to time.

Lillian talked to her mother about the trouble she had discussed with us that she was going through at the home where she was staying. Her mother requested us to accommodate the girl at school during holidays while she asks around for other relatives who can take care of the child. She offered a Suitcase to her daughter which she the girl was so glad to receive.

Prossie and Noeline got to see their mother too. They were so happy and ran out to meet her as she came in. The children happily interacted with their mother and reported everything that was bothering them. The children told their mother about the meals they were having in school which they described as good.

Esther and her brother Benjamin also got to visit their mother for the second time this time the children were really glad to see their mother as now they knew her and could recognize her. Benjamin received new shoes from his mother to be used for school. Although the shoes were big on him Benjamin was so happy to receive them since he was in really great need for school shoes.

We were not treated so well after the visit as the officers stopped us when we were trying to take pictures of the inmates together with their children and this forced us to have them deleted. This was quite unfair on our side as the permission letter had alliowed for us to take pictures during the visit.

At Upper prison.

The report will be posted soon!

THE CHILDREN’S VISIT TO JINJA MAIN PRISON KIRINYA

We visited Jinja main prison on the 26th of July 2010 wth a team of 5 adults and a total of 10 children to visit their parents in prison. The divisions were as follows 3 siblings were of the same parent, 3 others from the same parent, 2 from the same parent and two others from different parents. We started our journey in the morning and reached prison at around midday. Because Jinja is quite far from Kampala we did not make a previsit but we instead called to inform them that we were going to visit with the children on the set date.

During our visit we received information in Jinja men’s prison that the father to Benge Franco and another inmate the father to Mugenyi Collins had been released so the two children didn’t get to see their parents we explained to them so that they could understand and not feel bad. They simply watched as others interacted with their parents and both of them were calm and patient as they waited for the others. We also received further information that the two inmates mentioned may have died due to mob justice after release. When we talked to Collins grandmother who is his caretaker to find out if she had seen the released prisoner she did not have any information about his release or even his where about.

Nandutu Zeridah and her sister Maureen Bwayirira visited their father who was so happy to see them. The three talked and exchanged letters and gifts Maureen however was a bit quiet though evidently very happy and most of the conversation and attention was directed to Zeridah maybe because she is the elder of the two sisters and was ready and willing to talk during the limited time provided to us to be with the inmates. The father was very happy and thanked us a lot on behalf of the other inmates for allowing them a chance to see their children and know the progress the children are making even when they are in prison a thing which he says makes them serve their sentences with hope of getting out to meet better things for them like their families unlike before when they would no knowledge of how their families were coping.

Abina Janet, Agono Mary and Aminu Musa are siblings and got to visit their father during his time prison for the second time. The children were so happy and so was their father who could not effectively express his gratitude because of language barrier as none of us present could speak his language. The children could clearly communicate with their father but because they are also just learning the languages could not express themselves to us. The father kept asking one of the officers to interprete what he wanted to communicate to us.

Shamim, Mustafa and Shaban are the other set of children that went to visit. Their father was really very happy to be together with all the three children. During the previous visit we took only two of the children since they were the ones at school. Shamim being in secondary school was unable to go with the brothers but this term we made an arrangement to have her picked from her school on the day of the visit and this way she got a chance to go with her brothers to Jinja prison to visit their father. The father while in prison spends his time making crafts such as ornaments for women and while we were there he offered these things to the daughter as she is their elder to have them sold so they can earn something. The father was very happy and thanked us so much for giving him the opportunity to meet together with his children.

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