By Benjamin Nii Nai Anyetei
Authorities at the Nsawam Female Prison in Nsawam are appealing for increased public support following an Easter outreach by the My Help Your Help Foundation, which brought relief items to inmates but also exposed persistent challenges facing the facility.
The outreach, held under the theme “Behind Bars, But Not Bound,” formed part of activities marking the Easter season, with members of the foundation engaging inmates through words of encouragement, spiritual reflection, and messages centred on redemption, faith, and new beginnings.
The foundation donated a wide range of items and groceries valued at 85,000 Ghana cedis. Despite ongoing efforts to reform inmates through vocational training and rehabilitation programmes, the prison continues to grapple with shortages in medical supplies, food, toiletries, and clothing.
The Nsawam Female Prison, the largest female correctional facility in the country, currently houses about 131 inmates as of January 30, 2026. The population includes vulnerable groups such as pregnant women, breastfeeding mothers, and elderly inmates—many of whom are reported to feel abandoned or rejected by society. Authorities say the psychological transition into prison life remains a major challenge for many of the women.
Ongoing infrastructure projects, including the construction of an Inmates’ Property House and a Diagnostic Centre, are underway but require urgent support, particularly in the form of building materials such as iron rods, cement, stones, plumbing materials, and formwork. The Diagnostic Centre is intended to assess inmates upon entry, examine their backgrounds, and address criminal behaviour through tailored rehabilitation programmes, treating crime as a condition that can be diagnosed and managed.
A comprehensive needs assessment revealed critical shortages across several sectors. In healthcare, the facility requires essential medications including anti-hypertensives such as Amlodipine and Losartan, anti-diabetics like Metformin, antibiotics such as Amoxicillin and Azithromycin, as well as pain relievers including Ibuprofen. Maternal health supplements such as folic acid, vitamin C, and ferrous sulphate, alongside dressing materials like gauze, cotton, spirit, and antiseptics, are also urgently needed.
Support is also required for vocational training programmes in tailoring, bead-making, millinery, and soap and detergent production. These programmes need equipment and materials such as sewing machines, fabrics, threads, beads, feathers, chemicals, and preservatives to enhance skill acquisition and rehabilitation.
Basic provisions remain a challenge, with urgent needs including food items such as rice, beans, gari, tin tomatoes, oil, milk, and protein sources like fish and chicken. Personal hygiene products, particularly sanitary pads, bathing soap, and tissue, are critically needed, along with clothing items such as panties and brassières.
Authorities are also proposing the establishment of a container shop at the main entrance of the prison to sell items produced by inmates to the public as part of efforts to promote self-reliance and reintegration.
Deputy Director of Prisons, Victoria Adzewodah, commended the foundation for the gesture, describing it as a true reflection of the Easter sacrifice demonstrated by Jesus Christ. She noted that the donation represents not only financial commitment but also the sacrifice of time and effort.
She used the opportunity to highlight ongoing initiatives within the Ghana Prisons Service, including the newly launched initiative, which aims to centralise medical supplies for distribution across prison facilities. She appealed to the public to support the initiative, as well as a nationwide contribution scheme encouraging individuals to donate at least one cedi daily to support prison healthcare.
She further noted that inmates are actively engaged in vocational training programmes and are making good use of available resources to acquire skills that will support their reintegration into society.
President of the foundation, Nicolas Cofie, said the outreach was inspired by biblical teachings, referencing Hebrews 13:3 and Matthew 25:36, which encourage support for those in prison. He noted that the foundation’s first prison outreach was held in 2021 at the Osu Prison.
Authorities stress that sustained support is crucial to improving conditions and ensuring successful rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates.
