SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN BORN IN PRISON AND THEIR YOUNG MOTHERS IN PRISON 

 

SUPPORT FOR CHILDREN BORN IN PRISON AND THEIR YOUNG MOTHERS IN PRISON

     The project “Support for children born in prison and their young mothers in prison” is one which is implemented for about 5 years in the Penitentiary Institutions from Moldova.

    There are 3 prisons for detained women in Republic of Moldova: Rusca prison (there are around 280 detained women), Pruncul prison (last year this project was successfully  implemented there), there is also another prison for women in Tiraspol (the capital of   autonomous Pridnestrovian Moldavian Republic, which proclaimed its independency, but is still not recognized). So since 2011 there are three places where detained mothers with children are placed.

     During February – September 2011 the direct beneficiaries of the project have been 9 mothers with their children from Pruncul prison and also mothers and children from Rusca prison and Tiraspol prison.

     One of the mother’s need is food – the children have to have special children food, especially milk, but they never get it in the prison canteen. Also the young mothers have to breastfeed the children but every child is unique and the children often have allergies on different products and in the general prison canteen the food is not appropriate for mothers because they might eat something that would cause illness and allergy by the children, so they prepare food apart, but they have big problems in providing with products. These are some of the problems, or the effects of the general problem of impossibility to provide appropriate conditions for growing up small children in prison.

     Also these mothers encounter the lack of hygienic accessories. Every mother who has a child of 0 – 3 years old needs a long list of hygienic articles. Unfortunately the prison doesn’t have funds to provide these children with diapers, napkins and many other hygienic articles so necessary for children and mothers.

   Another big problem was that there was no playground for children in Pruncul prison so far. There was a special place where penitentiary administration intended to build a playground for children, but they didn’t have necessary funds for it. Some NGOs started to construct a new separate building especially for mothers and children. Now there is a new separated building for mothers and children and beside it there is a playground of around 80 m2.  In May 2011 ADRA Moldova started a short project “Happy Rooms” intended to draw the fences around this playground. Now this place looks not sad. Cartoons heroes painted with bright colours bring happiness in this sad place. Children are growing and they are eager to stay more time outside. Penitentiary administration allows them to be outside from 12 pm till 19 pm.

     Many of these women are desperate, and the conditions in the place they live are inhumane and lead them to despair. The implementation of the project is very important both for the mothers but more for the children, since because of the lack of essential support the children would grow up ill. It is easier and cheaper to prevent than to treat an illness.

     The indirect beneficiaries of the project are other prisoners who beneficiate from ADRA Moldova help. There are organized charity tables, humanitarian aid distribution, medical support for them.

     ADRA Moldova collaborators and volunteers often visite this category of beneficiaries and became very acquainted with them. So they can ask personally about their needs and problems, they have possibility to encourage the detained women.

 

 

 

 
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