Stories from Africa

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Legal Aid in Liberia

In a country with only 300 lawyers for an estimated 3.5 million people, PF Liberia’s Legal Aid programme offers hope to those being held on pre-trial detention illegally. For example, programme volunteers facilitated the release of 117 pre-trial detainees from February to June 2009. The volunteer lawyers and lay people, active in four main prisons, collect data on the prisoners in need of assistance, identify necessary evidence and witnesses for court proceedings, and offer mediation services as an alternative mechanism for processing the case.

Providing Legal Assistance in the Democratic Republic of the Congo

Responding to the needs of poor prisoners and those being held illegally, PF Democratic Republic of the Congo (PF DRC) has created a juridical committee to identify those in need and provide legal assistance. In early 2009, the committee secured the release of 26 prisoners being held illegally.

Preparing Mediators and Facilitators in Zambia

In late May, PF Zambia provided restorative justice training for 24 volunteers from eight care groups around the country. It included an overview to restorative justice theory, mediation practice, and the Sycamore Tree Project® (STP). Training goals included building capacity for STP implementation and mediation services across the country.

Transforming Lives and Attitudes in Zambia

“Words alone cannot express our gratitude and heartfelt thanks to you as a team of the Sycamore Tree Programme and the entire Prison Fellowship Zambia for taking this life transforming programme to Kamfinsa inmates,” wrote a group of participants from PF Zambia’s most recent Sycamore Tree Project® course held at Kamfinsa prison.

Diverting Juvenile Offenders Away from Courts in South Africa

In response to prison overcrowding and the negative impact of incarceration on young offenders, PF South Africa launched a juvenile diversion project known as The Fig Tree Project. Targeting first-time, non-violent offenders and students in danger of expulsion from secondary school (grades 8-12), the Fig Tree Project offers a community alternative to incarceration.

French Minister Visits PF Benin

 

Focus on Reform and Prisoner Rehabilitation in Mozambique

In October, the National Prison Service of Mozambique held a two-day, multi-stakeholder workshop exploring the issues of prison reform, prisoner rehabilitation and reintegration. The goals were to raise awareness and advocate for a new approach that would include both government and civil society organizations working in partnership. In the spirit of such partnership, PF Mozambique took on an organizing role with the workshop and drew upon contacts and resources of other PF national ministries.

Sycamore Tree Project® Training in Swaziland

On 11 and 12 November, PF Swaziland hosted a STP training seminar for volunteers, church leaders and magistrates. The two-day seminar, conducted by a team from PF South Africa, provided an overview of restorative justice, an introduction to the issues related to implementation, and an explanation of the STP sessions.

An Indefinite Wait for Freedom

“Innocent until proven guilty” doesn’t mean much for the nearly 800 prisoners who are crowded into the dirty, dank prison cells of Liberia’s Monrovia Central Prison. Most have yet to be convicted of a crime – some charged with offences as minor as not paying a bill – but they have languished here for years without a trial.

PF Zimbabwe Helping Ex-offenders, Families and Communities Find Healing

Ex-offenders encounter many challenges to living a crime free life once they leave prison. Chief among these are rejection by their families and communities of origin and the fear of revenge on the part of victims or victims' families. As a response to this reality, PF Zimbabwe created the Victim Offender Reconciliation Programme to assist this reintegration process.