Playdagogy in Bujumbura prisons

Since 2008 in Burundi, the PLAY International team has placed the themes of violence, living together, children's rights and HIV at the heart of sports activities. Its action affects both schoolchildren and those living in camps for displaced persons.

More recently, PLAY International has extended its action to Ngozi and Mpimba prisons (Bujumbura). Women and minors in prison now practice socio-sports activities that integrate one of the NGO's programmes: Playdagogy.

Thanks to the intervention of PLAY International, - funded by the ICRC and supported by the DGAP (General Directorate of Penitentiary Affairs) - 20 minors from Ngozi prison and more than 30 women from Ngozi and Mpimba prisons were trained from late January to early February.

Jean-Bosco UWIMANA and Juvénal BIZINDAVYI, trainers at PLAY International, are delighted with the enthusiasm generated by this new training: "We had never seen such a mobilization of beneficiaries during a training session".

Before the development of Playdagogy, people incarcerated in these institutions had very few distractions or recreational activities. After a 6-month follow-up, the trainees will be certified and able to set up socio-sport activities for their fellow prisoners and young children under 5 years of age, incarcerated with their mothers.

The purpose of this training is to restore the confidence of prisoners through the practice of games and sports. But it also acts as a first step towards social reintegration in order to best prepare for their release from prison.