Mbabane {12.08.07} Overcrowding, long periods of imprisonment, HIV/AIDS and a lack in medical care are challenges in the prisons of many African States. 20 African countries participated last week in Ezulwini, Swaziland, on the CESCA Conference. The conference aim was to work together on the future of penal systems in Africa. CESCA Conference (Conference of Eastern, Southern and Central African Heads of Correctional Services) was founded in the year 1993 and since that has been organized eight times. Together with the delegates from the Western- and Northern African regions the conference aims to become an all African symposium now.
During the conference one topic of discussion was drug use in Subsahara-Africa as one cause of HIV/AIDS. Statistic shows a clear increase on cannabis use as well as heroin and cocaine. A growth in the number of imprisoned drug user is realized by African prison administrations. As well the number of drug traders in prison is growing.
Voluntary engagement in penal institutions is not known in many African states. Tanzania instead has a radio program in giving information on the work of the penal institutions and the re-integration of released prisoners. The radio programs aim to get the participation of society, but this is single. The brake down of extended families, high rate of unemployment and the rejection by the general society make it very difficult for ex-prisoners not to relapse once they are in back in "freedom".
On CESCA Conference Achim Halfmann (Hückeswagen, Germany) and Reuben Gitau (Songhor, Kenya) participated for Crossroad Prison and Rehabilitation Ministry. They presented a paper on "Society and Prison" and spoke about the voluntary engagement in penal institutions and in the reintegration of released prisoners as a challenge especially for the churches. And they described the motivation of volunteers, their training and consultation during their work in prison and the practical organisation on this engagement as a challenge for prison administration as well as voluntary based non governmental organisations (NGO). Reuben Gitau spoke about the projects of Crossroad Ministries in Kenya and how a Christian based organisation works for the reintegration of offenders. Many delegates were interested in Crossroads ministries.
Right now the German association Gefaehrdetenhilfe Scheideweg is working together with international partners on an English seminar for volunteers that shall also be used in African countries.
The paper "Society in Prisons" can be downloaded on our homepage www.gefaehrdetenhilfe.de (English Downloads).