Imagine: helping children of prisoners

By Rashika Fazali

When a crime is committed, it is usually the children who suffer from it. Their education is stopped. The means to provide for them becomes harder, lesser or even lost due to the breadwinner being jailed. The existing parent and relatives are under excessive pressure to feed and look after them. And unfortunately, these kids are seen in the eyes of the society as the children of criminals.

What can be done is to either stop these crimes from being committed – which is highly unlikely or to help these unfortunate children in any possible way.

To help improve the lives of these prisoners’ children, the Friends of Prisoners’ Children (FOPC) has set up the ‘Imagine’ concert, where all proceeds from this event will be contributed to the Friends of Prisoners’ Children Association.

To be held tomorrow (25) from 7 p.m. onwards at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, it will be a night of song and dance by 14 well-known Sri Lankan artistes and performers – The De Lanerolle Brothers, The Revelations, Natasha Rathnayake, Choro Calibre, Chris Dhason, Rukshan Perera, Damian Wikkramatillake, Harsha Makalande, Rajitha Rupasinghe, Suran, Hirantha, Gananath Trio, Little Sopranos, Upula Madushanka, Damien Fernando and Jude Perera.

Speaking to FOPC Founder and Chairperson Sister Immaculate De Alwis, she stated that FOPC currently has 288 children. She added, “We give these children scholarships of Rs. 12,000 per year – that is Rs. 1,000 per month.”  

FOPC ensures that the money is carefully wired to the children after considering the child’s attendance and maintenance of grades. The account is supervised by a volunteer from FOPC and the principal of the school in which the child is enrolled.

Sister Immaculate De Alwis added that FOPC only deals with the children of the prisoners from the Welikada Prison as this high security prison has over 400 prisoners imprisoned for life.

This year, 115 prisoners applied for their children to be entitled to this scholarship program out of which only over a 100 were sent confirmations due to the program’s limit of sponsoring only 300 children.

Sister Immaculate De Alwis stated that FOPC helps these children in many ways by setting up psychosocial development programs, donating school books and setting up a prison function that allows these children to see their parent(s).

She noted that the prison function is the most looked forward to function by the children as it is the only time they get to spend time with their parent(s) for a whole day with entertainment. “It is somewhat of a party,” said Sister Immaculate De Alwis. This function happens on the first Sunday of the every year.

However, she stated that they are not sure if FOPC will be able to have this function next year due to the recent riot at the Welikada Prison which resulted in 27 deaths.

Sister Immaculate De Alwis did mention that through this program, there have been many success stories: “We had a student who got first class honours in accountancy. Last year, two children from rural areas received eight distinction in their O/Levels. Another girl from Polonnaruwa received two championships in weightlifting.”

She further said, “We want to change the attitude of the society towards the prisoners’ children. These children are suffering for their parents’ crimes.”

To contribute to the wellbeing of these unfortunate children, purchase tickets for ‘Imagine’ at the Bishop’s College Auditorium, priced at Rs. 2,000, Rs. 1,000 and Rs. 500.