A Time of Peace?

I wonder what peace looks like to you in your life. For some of us we enjoy moments of solitude in a quiet place, tucked up with a book, for others they relish the thought of being surrounded by loved ones amidst the joyful chaos of a busy Christmas-time house.

The Oxford English Dictionary lists one definition of the word peace as “freedom from anxiety, disturbance (emotional, mental, or spiritual), or inner conflict; calm, tranquillity.” However we may picture peace, it is safe to say we all long for that emotional peace described.

For the millions of people who will spend this Christmas in prison, it is unlikely they will experience any form of peace. Prisons across the world suffer from extreme overcrowding. Prisoners are often packed into spaces where the number of people far exceeds the designed capacity. This leads to poor physical health as infectious diseases can easily spread from one person to the next. The lack of personal space will lead to worsening mental health and increasing violent behaviour.

Whilst there may be valid reasons for people to be in prison, it does not justify the unsuitable conditions that currently exist.

Integritas comes face to face with the issue of overcrowded prisons and the harm this can inflict. It is vitally important that prisoners receive high quality healthcare to prevent further spread of diseases within the prison population.

As we look ahead to everything we enjoy about Christmas, let us remember those who are without peace or comfort.

If you feel able to donate, any amount will have a huge impact on the support Integritas is able to provide to prisoners

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A Time of Hope?

We all need something to give us hope. That might be the thought of a weekend lie-in to get you through the week, a successful career to provide a comfortable retirement or maybe the hope that there is a purpose and meaning to life, which you just haven’t found yet.

For many prisoners around the world there is nothing to give them any hope. They are locked away and forgotten by society. Integritas carries out a large proportion of its humanitarian and medical work within prisons and police stations in the Philippines.  A problem faced by prisoners worldwide is that of pre-trial detention and delayed sentencing. In the Philippines 75% of the prison population has not been sentenced. On average prisoners are detained for 9 months before they receive a sentence.  This leads to overcrowding of jails, making conditions even more unbearable. Prisoners may serve time in prison that far outweighs their crime. Individuals are subjected to terrible conditions with no hope of knowing when they will be released.

Integritas currently provides healthcare to detainees in the Philippines primarily by telemedicine clinics. Our team on the ground visits the prisons and co-ordinates video consultations between prisoners and our team of doctors. We are able to offer a glimmer of hope to these prisoners as we care for their medical needs and treat them with compassion and respect. This service relies on our team of both voluntary and paid staff. We also rely on funds to provide medical supplies to the prisoners, as many cannot afford to buy their own medication.

As we look ahead to Christmas, a time that offers a message of hope, we greatly require your support to continue our work. If you feel you could offer your time and skills then please get in touch. Financial donations of any amount would go a long way to provide medical care to those trapped in a hopeless system. Please join us in bringing hope this Christmas.

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