PHOTO: (L-R) Tamba Nyumah, Ruth Coker-Collins, Saah Tamba and Trokon Augustus Freeman
A Liberian journalist has launched a foundation that aspires to provide support to children of imprisoned parents in Liberia.
The organization, Children of Imprisoned Parents Foundation (CIPF), was launched in Monrovia by Trokon Augustus Freeman during the weekend. It was launched on the occasion marking the birth anniversary of the journalist.
“Today is my birthday, but I chose to forgo a fabulous anniversary celebration to have this launch on humanitarian grounds”, Trokon stressed.
Trokon said he was moved by the passion of humanity about a story concerning two kids, whose mother and father have been incarcerated for felon.
“There are two kids, who do not enjoy parental care anymore. They were much smaller when their mom and dad got convicted of murder and sent to prison. I’m told they’ve spent about seven years in jail. The kids being referenced here were not in school. The place they slept was concerning. I reached a decision with my family to take responsibility of their welfare including education. We sheltered them and began taking care of their educational needs”.
Reports say there are hundreds of children whose parents are in jail. The journalist has opted to elevate his humanitarian intervention by including other children, and so establishing a foundation to cater to the welfare of kids was imperative.
“So, this year, we chose to step up our intervention. We’ve decided to establish and launch this foundation to initially mobilize resources to cater to these kids, their imprisoned parents and others in similar condition across the country”.
Former public works minister, Madam Ruth Coker Collins, served as the chief launcher of the initiative. Madam Coker-Collins extolled the effort, and said she shares similar vision with the journalist. She promised to assist in touching the lives of kids whose parents are in prison.
“Trokon, thank you so much for this vison. We share similar vision. I will do whatever possible to support this cause”.
The two children for whom this foundation is given birth to are Saah Nyumah, 15, and Tamba Nyumah, 13. In an emotional tone, Tamba, the younger one, craved to see his parents, whom he said, has not seen for a very long time.
“I want ya’ll to please carry me so I can see my ma and pa”.
A report by PANEL Reform International says children whose parents are detained or imprisoned are an invisible and highly vulnerable group whose rights and welfare are affected at every stage of criminal proceedings against their parent.
The rights of children of incarcerated parents remain largely unacknowledged within criminal justice systems. Children fall through the cracks created by inadequate social welfare provision, lack of clarity in law and policy as to how to respond to them, and inadequate protection for children living in prisons.
It is estimated that millions of children worldwide have a parent in prison: and an estimated 19,000 are living in prison with their parent, most often their mother, and many times that number are separated.
Children are confronted with a host of challenges when a parent or caregiver conflicts with the law.
They must contend with the break-up of their family and may need to be placed in alternative care where they are more vulnerable to violence, abuse, neglect and exploitation.
Losing their primary caregiver may result in financial hardship and make it difficult to access health services and education.
They experience discrimination and stigma as a result of their parent’s status as a suspect, defendant or convicted prisoner.
They may end up living with their mother/ father in detention facilities.
The effect on children when a parent is sentenced to death or executed is of course even more traumatic. In some countries, children of parents sentenced to death or executed are stigmatised and abandoned by the wider family.