Over Christmas 2023, Global Compassion Nigeria designed a project to promote a sense of compassion and understanding in the Afara Custodial Centre.
The aim was to open up a means of emotional and mental support to the inmates, knowing that one day they will walk the streets as free and responsible citizens. The aim eventually will be to have the inmates become Compassion Ambassadors themselves, telling their story as one of hope and offering solace and comfort to fellow inmates or convicted prisoners.
The initiative was also meant to provide the platform for greater synergy between the GCC and the local authorities so that future projects and collaborations will be possible.
To begin this process of outreach and community building, GCC Nigeria organised a football tournament for the prisoners. They received GCC branded t-shirts, a GCC banner was hung pitchside, and a talk was given at the start of the tournament about the power of compassion. A meal and water was provided for the 766 prisoners as well as staff and local authorities.
Uwalaka Uchechukwu, a Compassion Connector with GCC and Evangelist Uche Ohakah, the Founder of Project Dorcas Foundation took time to speak and encourage the inmates that there is still hope during a special Christmas worship session with the inmates at their Chapel inside the Custodial facility.
Feedback from the participants was extremely positive. Many cited their desire to continue to work with GCC representatives in Nigeria and to receive resources aimed at helping them live freely upon their release. The organisers are looking at setting up more and similar initiatives, possibly with other ways for people to get involved.
Uwalaka Uchechukwu is the GCC Nigeria Coordinator.