By Leanne Greenfield | Development Intern
In Sierra Leone, when women are released from the hands of the law, they often face overwhelming hardships. These include social exclusion, limited employment opportunities, and financial instability. It is not uncommon for ex-detainees to be ostracised by their friends and family, due to the shame associated with being a prisoner. Women and girls who have been in conflict with the law feel the aggravated effects of these issues because of their status as secondary citizens in society. They are frequently left with limited ownership of property and poor employment opportunities; more often than not, female detainees are dependent on male family members for socio-economic security when they are released.
AdvocAid believes that reintegration back into society is key to ensuring that former prisoners do not reoffend. Our support of women in conflict with the law extends beyond representation in court; the holistic nature of our work provides these women with the tools they need to successfully rebuild their lives. One such incident was our work with Mariama* and her family earlier this year.
Mariama suffered at the hands of the law in Freetown. Caught up in a conflict with her neighbour, Mariama was falsely accused of assault and wounding, two crimes which can carry lengthy prison sentences if convicted. Thankfully, AdvocAid were able to mediate the issue and convinced the court that an informal resolution between the two parties would be the most appropriate course of action.
Unfortunately, however, Mariama’s grievances did not end with her legal resolution. Mariama looks after her blind husband and 4-year-old son, and is the sole earner of her family. However, prolonged time in detention and in court meant that she was unable to work for almost a month and so could not provide for her blind husband and child. In order to prevent Mariama and her family from further suffering, AdvocAid provided Mariama with financial and welfare support
With no job to return to following her release from court, Mariama struggled to feed her family. Whilst she intently sought work, Mariama could not find anything permanent or sustainable. This is not uncommon for recently released women and AdvocAid sought to give Mariama the assistance she needed to get back on her feet. AdvocAid offered Mariama a week of paid work in our office in Freetown; working as an in-house office assistant provided her with the opportunity to develop new skills and gain valuable experience working in an office. AdvocAid saw this vocational training as a way to increase Mariama’s chances of finding employment thereafter. We were thrilled when Mariama recently informed us that she has found work; employed as a housekeeper, she assists with cooking and cleaning duties for families in her local community.
When Mariama returned to her home, she was unable to pay for her son to go school. However, Mariama’s conflict with the law should not cost her son his education. For this reason, AdvocAid gave Mariama a donation of Le 200,000 so that her 4-year-old child could continue to study. As part of her welfare pack, AdvocAid also donated food supplies to feed Mariama and her family for a month and clothing to last up to a year. This was invaluable in ensuring that Mariama’s integration back into her home life, and as the caregiver of her family, was as smooth and successful as possible. Mariama is pleased with her transition back to her home life; she is delighted that her son is able to continue with his education and she feels like a valued member of her community again
AdvocAid were able to support Mariama through the money generously given by our donors. The support we receive through GlobalGiving enables us to help ex-detainees transition back into life with their families. Earlier this year, we provided 19 women who had been recently released from prison with counselling support, transportation assistance to their homes, clothing, food, and sanitation products. This helped to reduce the stress of returning to their communities and enabled these women to start anew. AdvocAid and the women and girls we represent are extremely grateful for the support we receive from our donors at GlobalGiving. Please circulate this report with your contacts and encourage them to donate to this project, or to one of our other GlobalGiving projects, so that more women and girls in Sierra Leone can be supported in their release from detention.
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*Mariama’s name has been changed to protect her identity.
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By Maeve O'Gorman | Development Intern
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