By Ken Stanley

The Carmelite Women Welfare Initiative (CAWIN) says it will deepen the scope and depth of assistance to female inmates and their indigent children in custodial centres in the country.

The Executive Director of CAWIN, Rev. Fr. Jude Isiguzo, said this during a 4-day Capacity Building Workshops for Board, Management and Staff of CAWIN on Monday in Enugu.

CAWIN, formerly known as Female Inmates and Returned Citizens (FIRC) Multipurpose Cooperative Society since 2020, is supported technically by Carmelite Prisoners’ Interest Organization (CAPIO) and funded by Misean Cara (Mission Support from Ireland).

Isiguzo said that the workshop was meant to develop CAWIN as a registered entity under the Corporate Affairs Commission, provide a mission and vision as well as develop a strategic plan for the organisation for the period between 2025 and 2029.

According to him, the various stages of workshops holding this four days is expected to give CAWIN a well-articulated strategy document that defines a future direction for the organisation and put in place workable strategies, goals, objectives and activities going forward.

The executive director said that CAWIN, is a female inmate focused organisation, with women who are ex-inmates with the passion to change their negative experiences while in incarceration and improve welfare of all female inmates and returned citizens in Nigeria’s custodial centres.

He said, “CAWIN aims to achieve an all-inclusive and safe platform for all female inmates and foreign returned (inmates) serving in custodial centres; and to emoower reform and re-integrate them into the society above all odds of discrimination and stigmatization.

“Through the years of work and research; we have found out that sanitary materials for female inmates especially sanitary pads are always lacking or very limited supply in custodial centres.

“So, we have come in to teach female inmates how to make reusable, home-made and comfortable sanitary pads.

“Also, most female ex-inmates, who have identified with CAWIN, have learnt how to make bar, liquid and detergent soaps and liquid deodorants, which are supplied to female inmates free-of-chargr as well as use as their commercial businesses in their neighbours.”

Isiguzo noted that CAWIN also provide educational support grant to indigent children of serving female inmates or female ex-mates to forestall school drop out and for those that want to learn a trade/ skill the organisation support them.

He noted that before its present planned expansion of its activities, it had implemented its initiatives in custodial centres in seven states across the country.

“We have carried out projects in Suleja Custodial Centre in Niger State as well as custodial centres in Enugu State, Abia State, Anambra State, Enonyi State, Delta State and Jos Custodial Centre in Plateau State.

“Technically, any female inmate or ex-inmate is a member, but we have about 50 active CAWIN members, notwithstanding tribe, creed and other diversification that are carrying out these welfare and Wellbeing packages and correcting negative incarceration experiences nationwide.

“We are working to get more funding, make our impact and reach enlarged and ensure that every female inmate is loved and taken care of adequately to create a sense of belonging and inclusiveness even to those in incarceration,” he added.