African Prison Project Working to bring dignity and hope to men, women and children in prison

Met in Kampala (African Conference on children in prison)

"Education

People are sent to prison in order to protect society from harm. However, investment in bars, guards and guns alone may help to keep reduce offending in the short term, but ultimately it does nothing to make society safer. This is because ultimately almost everyone in prison will eventually return to society. If they remain idle during their time in prison they are likely to become bitter and resentful. If however prisoners are given meaningful things to do and equipped with the skills and self-belief they need to support themselves upon release, society becomes safer because rates of re-offending will decrease.

The principles behind our education initiatives are that:

Education creates opportunity; the lack of which is the main cause of crime.

Prisoners usually come from marginalized backgrounds and have been denied the opportunities more readily available to others.

The education projects implemented by APP provide people in prison with the opportunity to learn and develop as individuals, consequently decreasing their likelihood of re-offending. Ultimately society will become safer and richer through the education of prisoners.

Prisons staff have an important part to play, in both allowing prisoners to access education and in being advocates for it. To encourage them we ensure that our education activities are open to prisons staff and, wherever possible, their children."