An International Study Week/Seminar 2012 on Children of Prisoners is scheduled for June 4 to 9 in Kampala, Uganda.
Wells of Hope, a Ugandan-based organisation, is hosting the Study week/Seminar with the objective of consolidating experience, knowledge, and skills in order to develop an action agenda for children with imprisoned parents. The study week aims to promote friendship, solidarity, and a common spirit among people serving vulnerable children—specifically those whose parents are in prison in a foreign country.
Participants will learn more about the effects of parental imprisonment on children, with the aim of generating discussion about creative and efficient solutions for this vulnerable group of children.
Throughout the week, participants will visit villages to interact with grandmothers playing the role as caretakers to children of imprisoned parents. Attendees will listen to the personal stories in order to inspire change in their own lives and communities. In addition to visiting grandparents, participants will also visit with children in schools. These children have prepared storytelling activities to utilize their music, dance, and dramatic talents to shed light on their perspective of life with an imprisoned parent.
Finally, participants will visit the parents of these children in prisons to talk with them and understand their perspective of the situation.
During the study week, emphasis will be placed on the UN Day of General Discussion on Children of the Incarcerated (DGD) which took place on September 30, 2011 in Geneva. Deliberations from The International Study week will feed into the work at the UN as the organisation works in direct relation with the Quaker United Nations Office (QUNO).