In the name of God, The Most Beneficent, The Most Merciful.
Many years ago I joined an NGO. We visited a women's prison in Selangor. It was my first time entering into a prison complex.
We went through tight security checks and were ushered into a hall. The women guards were not that friendly and I guess they were worse with the prisoners. My first impression of the prisoners was also not a positive one. They would all say they were innocent.
Waiting for us in the hall was a group of women, all convicted for various felonies ranging from selling drugs, burglaries ,causing grievous bodily harm and manslaughter. They were staring at us and that made me felt a little bit uncomfortable. Their hair dishevelled because they were not allowed to have hair brushes or even combs.The reason was for their own security.There were reports that some of the prisoners use these to attack each other. In that sense, they were creative... negatively.
There was a lot of fighting among the prisoners. That was the main aim of the visit. To make them realized and understand that people have different opinions. Everyone has a right to their opinion and that fighting is not going to resolve the problem.
My first bad impression of them was shattered when I saw their smiling faces. They were jovial and friendly. They were grateful that we came to visit them. None of them were shouting they were innocent. They knew what they did. They just wanted to be given a second chance in life.
Their eyes lit up when asked what they would do once they were freed. All have wonderful plans to rebuild their lives, their family. One of them stood tall not just physically but because or her enthusiasm. She was in prison for burglary. She had detailed business plan what she wanted to do [which of course not burglary!]. She had hope and that gave her a future.
I came to the prison thinking that I could teach them something but instead they taught me some valuable lessons in life. All of us made mistakes in our life some serious, some not. The ladies did commit those illegal acts and end up in prison. But there are no different from us. They made a mistake. They, like us have ambitions, aspiration and the desire to succeed. All they need was another chance.
Even in their dire circumstances, they never gave up. Life is precious and precious when we have hope for a better future.
Many years ago I joined an NGO. We visited a women's prison in Selangor. It was my first time entering into a prison complex.
We went through tight security checks and were ushered into a hall. The women guards were not that friendly and I guess they were worse with the prisoners. My first impression of the prisoners was also not a positive one. They would all say they were innocent.
Waiting for us in the hall was a group of women, all convicted for various felonies ranging from selling drugs, burglaries ,causing grievous bodily harm and manslaughter. They were staring at us and that made me felt a little bit uncomfortable. Their hair dishevelled because they were not allowed to have hair brushes or even combs.The reason was for their own security.There were reports that some of the prisoners use these to attack each other. In that sense, they were creative... negatively.
There was a lot of fighting among the prisoners. That was the main aim of the visit. To make them realized and understand that people have different opinions. Everyone has a right to their opinion and that fighting is not going to resolve the problem.
My first bad impression of them was shattered when I saw their smiling faces. They were jovial and friendly. They were grateful that we came to visit them. None of them were shouting they were innocent. They knew what they did. They just wanted to be given a second chance in life.
Their eyes lit up when asked what they would do once they were freed. All have wonderful plans to rebuild their lives, their family. One of them stood tall not just physically but because or her enthusiasm. She was in prison for burglary. She had detailed business plan what she wanted to do [which of course not burglary!]. She had hope and that gave her a future.
I came to the prison thinking that I could teach them something but instead they taught me some valuable lessons in life. All of us made mistakes in our life some serious, some not. The ladies did commit those illegal acts and end up in prison. But there are no different from us. They made a mistake. They, like us have ambitions, aspiration and the desire to succeed. All they need was another chance.
Even in their dire circumstances, they never gave up. Life is precious and precious when we have hope for a better future.
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