Tentative proposal - "Litaracy for innocent children in prison" - Colombo Sri Lanka Rotary Club of Colombo Central
a Matching Grant proposed Project (Subject to approval) with GÖTEBORG – HOVÅS ROTARY CLUB
Overall Project Objective
By cost effective activities, in collaboration with local RC and authorities, improve conditions and increase literacy for children who are staying with their mothers (who are sentenced for crime and serving time) in the Welikada Prison, Colombo, Sri Lanka.
Examples of activities to achieve goal
- Employ a teacher for children 4 – 5 years
- To provide age-related teaching toys (0-5 years)
- To provide age-related books (2-7 years)
- To provide opportunities for these children to make visits outside of prison
- To provide playground equipment
- To discuss issues with and together with prison management implement measures in order to improve living and sanitary conditions for the children
- To provide assistance in teaching mothers and other female inmates who are in need of basic education, primarily in reading and writing (subject to resources available when primary objectives relative the children have been achieved)
Background The prisons in Sri Lanka are very crowded (in the Welikada Prison there are 4,500 male inmates in a prison that is dimensioned for 2,000 inmates and 558 female inmates in a department built for 250 inmates). There are presently 27 (innocent) children in the Welikada Proison. The children are all 2 years old or younger for the moment. They could stay up to 5 years of age. Most of the mothers are sentenced for drug crimes and/or prostitution. Often it is the husbands of these women who are the real criminals keeping drugs at home. When the police make raids, the husband is gone and the wife is sentenced for possession. There are 47 children in various prisons in Sri Lanka.