Saturday 16 th November 2024
The Association of Progressive Obstetricians and Gynaecologists, Kenya (APOG-K)
held their first ever corporate social responsibility (CSR) activity, lighting up the hearts of
the prison inmates at Shimo La Tewa Women’s Prison, in Mombasa County. The
APOG-K members spent the day at the prison, visiting with the inmates, in partnership
with the National Gun Owners Association of Kenya (NGAO-K)
The association members were warmly welcomed by the facility In-Charge, Ms. Evelyn
Kaliti; her Assistant, Ms. Rachel; several correctional officers; and the entire lot of the
inmates currently incarcerated at the facility.
Shimo La Tewa, loosely translated to ‘hole in the ground’, is a prison has a colourful
history, dating back to the 14 th century, where it was a stop-over holding place for slave
traders on their way to the infamous ‘Jumba la Mtwana’, the slave warehouse where
slaves were held before being shipped overseas.
The Women’s prison currently holds an average of about 150 women, alongside
approximately 15 young children aged from birth to about four years. The young ones
are allowed to stay with their incarcerated mothers until they are old enough to start
school; where they are given back to their extended families, or in the absence of willing
family, moved to children’s homes.
The motto of the correctional facilities is that the young ones are not incarcerated and
are therefore supported to have a full life like all other children, as much as possible.
This opens a clear doorway for family and well-wishers to support the children by
providing basic childcare items.
The Associations came bearing gifts for the children, including diapers for all age
groups, long life milk, cookies, and toiletries. The members spent the day giving health
talks to the inmates, and consulting with those who had medical issues that needed to
be addressed.
The members had an opportunity to consult with the administration, to better
understand the challenges facing the correctional facility, so as to better support them in
future events. It was noted that the Women’s Prison does not have a health facility in
the premises, to attend to the inmates. Further, with the new Social Health Insurance
Fund being set up, the inmates are expected to register themselves so as to benefit
from the fund whenever they need medical services. This comes with the challenge that
some may not have access to their identity cards, neither do they have phones
necessary for purposes of registration.
This engagement led to the birth of a hopefully fruitful collaboration into the future as
APOG-K committed to uphold an annual visit to the facility to host medical camps for
the inmates and the staff of the institution. May this be the start of a beautiful
engagement as APOG-K supports the successful rehabilitation of these often-forgotten
members of the society; to ensure that they remain healthy, even as they look forward
to rejoining their communities!