Key people: George and Jacqueline Atido
Because of the security situation around Bunia, it was considered wise that George come to visit us in Kampala, Uganda, rather than the BHW team fly into Bunia. George did that and we spent three days together.
The prison they visit is largely for women. There is a men’s part that is very dangerous to visit and full of violent, brutal men. There are more than 1,000 men in the main part of the prison. There is also a young men’s part which they visit from time to time, if they have something to take them.
There is a huge amount of violence and abuse in the prison. Rival militia groups continue their fight inside and the guards have little control. The food they eat is atrocious and there is very little of it. They are always hungry which leads to more violence. Bunia prison is one of the worst prisons in the country operating at 500% of capacity. It was designed for 200 prisoners but there are more than 1,000 now. In 2020 more than 50 prisoners died, mostly of starvation. There are frequent outbreaks of typhoid, cholera and dysentery to go with the malnourishment.
The prison authorities are not particularly happy with a high frequency of visits and once a week is about all they have been able to negotiate. The women are more organized than the men.
Very few of the prisoners have family nearby, they come from a wide range of areas, many of them far away and of course, it is very difficult for people to move around because of the rebel activity, even close to Bunia.
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A team from the university goes with Jacqueline to visit once a week on a Saturday. Sometimes a group of men will go to the men’s part. They take in food and other personal items to help connect with the prisoners and provide some relief for them. This includes Bibles and reading material. Many of the women cannot read, but others read to them.
If a woman has young children when she is sentenced to prison, the children go with her. Many women are or become pregnant in prison and give birth while inside. The circumstances are not great for these people.
There are about 60 women in the local Bunia prison. They are there for many reasons, murder, manslaughter of unwanted babies, financial debt, prostitution, aiding rebels to name a few. Many young children have never known life outside the prison.
The prison allows the women to have small gardens and some look after the more well-off prisoners who may pay them for jobs.
They continue to try and reconnect prisoners that are released with their families, but this is very difficult. They could be far from home, it is dangerous to travel, and, in many cases, the community does not want a criminal to return to their village. They also assist with rehab for those who want it, counselling especially.
Every time they go in, they take cooked food that they have prepared at the university. This is such a blessing and encouragement to the women. Many have become believers while there through the visiting of the team.
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George and Jacqueline have faced a traumatic family issue with the death of David, their 15-year-old son, in 2022. It appears he was poisoned when taking a soft drink. There are a couple of theories about why. George, as chancellor of Shalom University fought against army and government officials who tried to confiscate land from the university a few years previously. They fought in the courts for four years and managed to keep the land to the surprise of everyone. The second theory is that young men from the militias visited the school to recruit members and their son refused or threatened to report them and so was poisoned.
There is little or no chance of knowing if either of these is true. Their son became very sick with terrible stomach pains. Despite going to the hospital and having tests, there was nothing able to be diagnosed and he was sent home and told to drink a lot of water. He improved over the next two days but one evening the pains came back and he died during the night.
His brother, Daniel who is now 15 is having major mental health issues related to the death of David. When George came to meet us in Kampala, he brought Daniel with him to try to get some help for him. He was able to do that.
George is in the last few years of his 10-year contract as Chancellor of Shalom university. It ends in 2027. He is currently not sure what will happen after that. Jacqueline is more inclined to stay in the Congo as it is what she knows. George is thinking carefully about the options. He could easily leave the DR Congo and take up faculty positions in Francophone universities, but it is not easy with so many children and others dependent on them. He would love to be doing more with his little NGO Rehema as he loves doing this work and empowering people.
One of their daughters lives in Kampala studying at university. If any critical situation occurs in the DR Congo, they have the option to send the other children to her. Another daughter is studying at Shalom University.
Jacqueline wants to write more about what she is learning as she goes into the prison. She is also studying counselling to be of more use to the women she meets there.
They do not have any new plans, except that they would like to add some medicines to the goods they take into the prison.
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The ongoing instability is generating a lot more criminal activity and there is an increase in violent crime. As people continue to come into Bunia, the pressure of urban living is creating more poverty and crime.
There is a lot of corruption and there are many innocent people in prison who do not get justice.
Many of the women in prison are there because of violence perpetrated on them. Many women are raped by militias and try to abort their babies and are prosecuted because of that. They need help, not prison.
It is dangerous to go into the prison. God has spared them so far, but it would be easy to get caught up in violence while in there.
1) For wisdom about what to do in the future when George's contract with the university is over
2) For safety for the team the goes into the prison weekly
3) That many of these women would be truly saved and that they will be able to be rehabilitated once they leave prison
4) That the children in the prison will grow up to be useful citizens
This is a great ministry to very vulnerable people. It will only ever be a relief, mercy work as there is no opportunity for development but I recommend that we continue to support it.
The current budget is US$8,000 per year. If possible, they would like more. The costs are continually going up and the needs are increasing. They would like to have some basic medicines for use in the prison. I suggest we leave it the same but discuss the option of a discretionary fund of around US$1,500/year.