Visit to Maula Prison

Today, I visited Maula Prison in Lilongwe to hand over some clothes and toys, which had been donated by staff at the British High Commission, DFID and the British Council, to two small boys who are in prison with their mothers.



If a woman is sent to prison in Malawi - whether on remand or following conviction - and has a child under five, then the child will be kept with her in prison.

Maula Prison houses both women and men, who are kept in separate areas. Conditions are very basic, and the men's area is particularly over-crowded. But the atmosphere was positive.

Two members of DFID staff - Linda, our Justice Advisor, and Eleanor, a Rule of Law Advisor based in London, who recently visited DFID Malawi - came up with the idea, and I was lucky enough to join Linda when we dropped off the goods. We handed over some soft toys, some building blocks, a ball, a picture book, some dinky toys, and some clothes.

Thanks to all those who made generous donations. You put some smiles on faces!

Handing over some clothes

Gift, with a teddy

Prisoners resting under a tree in the prison yard

Playing together

Mother and son