Our mission
To bring dignity and hope to men, women and children in prison through healthcare, education, access to justice and community reintegration.
Our vision
Our vision is that prisons in Africa are places of positive transformation and that entering prison does not mean losing hope. We believe depravation of freedom need not mean deprivation of humanity.
The African Prisons Project (APP) is a group of people passionately committed to improving access to healthcare, education, justice and community reintegration for prisoners in Africa. We aim to restore the dignity of those we serve by providing humane conditions and services which help them to regain their humanity. We build and refurbish prison medical and educational facilities, provide innovative services and work to change the attitudes of the societies serve when it comes to criminal justice issues.
Africa is a continent in transition, and its problems are magnified within its detention systems. The plight of detainees is rarely noticed; therefore they receive little help from charitable organisations. Yet they include the most downtrodden and vulnerable - babies imprisoned with their mothers, the mentally ill, children and the illiterate.
APP Blog
Volunteering experiences in Africa
25 March 2011
It was last Autumn as the English winter began to draw in that idea came to me – Africa! And why not?! I had been working in and around politics in London for 6 years and could do with a decent break, a new experience and few months of sun.
My previous job was at the Prison Reform Trust and as I planned to combine travel with volunteering, a colleague suggested I approach APP. After completing the application form it was agreed I would volunteer in Kampala, Uganda in March. By the time I started my placement I had traveled through Ethiopia, Rwanda, Kenya and Uganda and I was ready to settle in one place for a few weeks and get my teeth into a project. It turns out I am actually working on four projects simultaneously as APP has so much going on!
Message from Yasmina
28 February 2011
When I first told people that I was going to intern for an NGO that helped prisoners in Africa I could sense the uncertainty they were feeling, replies included ‘why would you want to help prisoners?’ this ‘ignorance’ worries me, I think most of us have been guilty of stereotyping at some stage of our lives. However, universally we all share one important fact and this is the fact that we are all HUMAN BEINGS some of us have had the luxury of being born into families that love us, born in a country where we have an established judicial system, and a government that recognises universal human rights. Some human beings with no fault of their own have not been fortunate enough for these same opportunities. I do not know every prisoners plight in Africa, nor am I saying that people are not responsible for their actions because of their circumstance; I am simply saying that don’t judge a book by its cover.
Message from Emma
28 February 2011
I would like to introduce myself, my name is Emma and I am one of the new fundraising interns at African Prisons Project!
I am now at the end of my third week of interning for APP and so far, so great! I have loved every minute of it. I have already made some lovely new friends and as a team I think we are getting there with just about finding our feet. Although there is a long road ahead, a usually daunting prospect, I feel nothing but excitement and cannot wait to really start our fundraising journey!