CGSJ Brings Christmas Hope to Female Inmates at Sierra Leone Female Correctional Centre
By Reginald Brian Ojukutu Sawyerr
In a powerful demonstration of compassion and advocacy, the Center for Gender and Social Justice (CGSJ) has paid a humanitarian visit to the Sierra Leone Female Correctional Centre in Freetown, delivering Christmas packages worth millions of leones and restoring hope to women behind bars.
The visit was led by CGSJ’s Executive Director, Mrs. Janisa Momodu (Esq.), accompanied by legal practitioners and members of the organization. The landmark donation included essential sanitary and personal hygiene items such as sanitary pads, bathing soap, toothpaste, toothbrushes, and other daily necessities—support aimed at improving the health, dignity, and living conditions of female inmates, many of whom struggle to access basic hygiene materials.
The visit was deeply emotional, marked by silence, reflection, and untold stories. The inmates received the CGSJ delegation with overwhelming gratitude, offering prayers, blessings, and heartfelt words of encouragement. It served as a solemn reminder that justice must always be anchored in humanity.
Speaking during the presentation, Mrs. Momodu emphasized that the initiative went beyond material support.
“This is about restoring hope, self-worth, and dignity,” she said.
She encouraged the inmates to remain courageous and hopeful, reminding them that their present circumstances do not define their future.
Mrs. Momodu further stressed that access to sanitary materials is a fundamental human right, noting that supporting women in correctional facilities is central to advancing gender justice, rehabilitation, and social inclusion.
One of the most emotional moments of the visit was the presence of babies and young children living within the correctional centre alongside their mothers—an undeniable reminder that incarceration often extends beyond the individual, impacting innocent lives whose futures are shaped by conditions they did not choose.
Mrs. Momodu encouraged the women to use their time in custody for self-development and positive transformation, while assuring them that CGSJ will continue to stand with and support them in their journey toward rehabilitation and reintegration.
