Alumni references: Mona Quinn - monaquinn@verizon.net
Ramon Diaz - ramondiaz9480@gmail.com
Allison Basile - arbasile11@hotmail.com
Overview
Mahabusu ya watoto is a subsidy of the National Ministry of Health and Community Development. Founded in 1970 by the social welfare department the facility seeks to re-integrate juvenile offenders accused of, or awaiting trial for violent and non-violent crimes. The detention hall accepts kids from the Moshi court system between the ages of 12 – 16. At maximum capacity the facility will have 45 enrolled juveniles and a minimum of 16. Mahabusu ya watoto currently has seven staff members, including Steven Gumbo, Head Warden /Supervisor, Assistant Supervisor Josophine Anton, one cook, security guard, health care professional, and cleaner. Day-to-day responsibilities such as cleaning, cooking, washing and other activities are the responsibility of the juveniles. The facility relies in part on a parcel of land used for farming and rain collection (up to 40,000 ltrs.) as a means to provide food and provide useful experience. The teens are responsible for the work necessary to bring the crops from seed to stove The facility provides food and shelter only. Other essentials (i.e. clothing, shoes) are seldom donated by outside sources and are the responsibility of the teens. Formal and informal education is provided by staff or volunteers however much of the staff and many of the volunteers have little training. Areas that are emphasized aside from basic survival skills are farming, carpentry, tailoring, and other vocational skills in which volunteer teachers may have had experience. Currently one staff member is teaching radio repair. Mahabusu ya watoto conducts interviews of the juveniles and home visits are made to assess living conditions and environmental factors contributing to the delinquency. A membership of active individuals participating in the well being of the detention hall meets once a month to discuss the progress and direction of the facility. The Mahabusu ya watoto program also assesses the direction of the courts decision pertaining to the child. In addition to the juvenile mandate full probationary service is provided for older offenders. Among the responsibilities Mahabusu ya watoto makes further recommendations to the courts and plays a pivotal role in punishment of teens.
Problems facing the facility
Currently there are many problems facing the facility. There is a high turn-around rate except for the most violent offenders. Many kids opt to leave, continue to be disruptive or run away when given the opportunity. Staffing is very short and operating current at 50% of the needed support. There is an inadequate infrastructure and equipment to fully and safely conduct the necessary functions of the program. For example there are no means of transportation for staff to or from home/environment calls. The facility has no permanent volunteers and most long term volunteers have other obligations that only allow them to volunteer on Sundays (i.e. church groups that make up a majority of the volunteers)
Volunteers Activities
- Helping with interview process and registering new juveniles
- Aiding with support for home visits
- Education programs and instruction for the teens
- General support measures for the facility
- Engaging juveniles in constructive activities
- Developing and exacting adequate facilities for departing juveniles
Additional opportunities for volunteers
In addition to instructing and aiding the teens at the center the volunteers/staff need training in child care education, sanitation practices, English, grammar and a wide range of other practical skill one might receive elsewhere.
Working hours
The facility operates on a three shift schedule as follows;
7:30 a.m. – 2:30 p.m.
2:30 p.m.– 6:30 p.m.
6 pm – 7 a.m.
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3 comments:
For the past few weeks I have spent many afternoons at the detention center, and loved every minute of it! There are currently 25 teens there (only 1 girl) ages 12 to 18. They are there for various reasons, but my impression is that almost none of them committed a serious crime. Some just didn't get along with their parents, which most people who have ever been teenagers can relate to!
The kids are dying to learn. The center can't afford a teacher, so for the most part all they do is clean. We bought them small notebooks to draw, and practice English and Swahili, and they absolutely loved the opportunity to learn. Unfortunately I was not here long enough to give many structured lessons, so if you are going to be a volunteer there you are very lucky! It will be extremely rewarding and fun. If I had known that the center was an option, I would have loved to work there because the need for assistance is so great and the kids are AWESOME.
They are all at different levels, so you should split them up accordingly. If you have any specific questions, you can email me at arbasile11@hotmail.com. Thanks :c)
Juvenile Detention Center Reformation Plan (JDCRP)
Ben Kallman
Reid Yester
October 2 2007
I. Goals
a. Short-Term
To begin with, it is necessary to understand that in each volunteer placement at CCS, there are essentially two levels of goals. The most basic and short-term goals are those that involve direct attention with the children. It is clear that most placements involve working with children and providing them with moral support, education, stimulation, or many other kind of direct interaction. While these types of goals are vital to achieve, they are temporary and will not have a long-term effect on the placement. These goals are short-term solutions to a greater problem. Yes, these short-term goals are important and should be addressed, but the hope is that in the future the partner program takes on these responsibilities and volunteers become obsolete. Ideally, CCS volunteers help organizations move toward becoming self-sustainable institutions which do not require volunteers. In order to achieve this harmony between CCS volunteers and partner programs, long-term goals must be crafted.
b. Long-Term
Complex and long-term goals are essential in creating said self-sufficiency in any placement. The parties involved in crafting these long-term goals vary depending on the specific situations of engagement between CCS and the placement. For example, the Juvenile Detention Center did not approach CCS asking for help and therefore cannot be expected to participate as willingly or as extensively as other organizations which did approach CCS. These groups which did approach CCS should be assumed to have done so with specific goals and an eagerness to work with CCS to find a solution. Since institutions like the Juvenile Detention center cannot be expected to participate in the same manner, the responsibility for creating and implementing a long-term agenda for improvement falls primarily upon CCS and their volunteers. Long-term goals, although harder to achieve, are much more rewarding and beneficial for the placement itself in the long run. While the kids at the prison undoubtedly benefited from our presence and teachings, there was much more that we could have done which would have assisted the center as a whole, thus having an impact on the all the kids to come rather than just the current residents.
II. Transition
Without a long term goal which could be carried out by multiple groups of volunteers, any progress made is immediately deleted upon transition. In our case, CCS did not do a stellar job encouraging the creation of an initial long-term goal. They also could have worked harder to connect the progress made by previous volunteers with the goals of new volunteers. In order to make a profound difference at the Juvenile Detention Center, subsequent groups of volunteers must work in conjunction with each other. Imagine that CCS is trying to reach the top of a very tall skyscraper, too tall to be reached by one group of volunteers. The only materials CCS has are those used for building ladders. If each group of people built a ladder, one could potentially reach the top of the building. However, without a common direction or purpose, it would be impossible to reach the top. What if each new group of people built ladders next to one another? No long-term progress would be made in the quest to reach the top of the building. The situation at the Juvenile Detention Center is not too dissimilar to this absurd analogy. Each group of volunteers has made great progress in the short-term, but they have essentially built ladders next to one another, thus making very little progress in reforming the center. In the future, we hope to direct each group’s goals toward one long-term, achievable objective - one which will allow the center to subsist on its own without volunteers.
III. Our work toward short-term goals
In our time at the Juvenile Center, we have worked solely with the kids. Upon arriving, we were given no direction by the staff at the center, and thus had no alternative but to focus all of our attention on the kids. This dilemma was a product of miscommunication between us, the CCS staff, previous volunteers and the employees of the prison. It was important for these kids to have contact with us and support from older peers and it will continue to be this way in the future. The kids desperately need counseling from peers and elders. However, this task should not be the exclusive responsibility of the volunteers. Instead of attacking the problem from a single direction, we should be working to change the dynamic of the center from many different angles. Most importantly, the Detention Center needs to work with CCS in changing how the staff behaves with the children and how they run the institution. Volunteers need to be working in conjunction with the staff instead of working under them. In doing so, a long-term solution will present itself.
IV. Specific things we have been doing
While there is no “typical day” at the Juvenile Center, we will attempt to explain the kinds of activities that we did with the kids. It is important to note, however, that these activities would vary greatly if different kids arrived at or were released from the prison. Volunteers should try to cater to the needs and interests of the current inmates. For example, there were some kids who loved music. As a result, we did the best we could to indulge their fascinations. We had a volunteer who brought in drums. We (attempted to) teach the kids a song (Buffalo Soldier by Bob Marley), and had many dance sessions. Other kids were keen to draw, so we supplied them with paper and pencils. Occasionally, some children were eager to learn, so we allocated time to work with them privately. Many were happy simply sitting and watching the chaos. The bottom line is that there is no certain or enforceable curriculum which would have a lasting effect on the prison. Everything done with the children is temporal. However temporary our actions may be, it is vital for us to be there in order to let the kids out of their cell and give them some sort of stimulation. When volunteers aren’t at the prison, the children are locked up in their cell. The staff is not keen on having to watch the kids or interact with them; therefore they keep the children inside at all times. It goes without saying that this situation is unhealthy and that no one should be forced to spend 19+ hours a day lying on their bed. Perhaps in the future, volunteers will encourage the staff to let the kids play in the courtyard under their supervision and not just when volunteers are there.
V. What needs to be done
a. Learn about the prison and the people who work there.
i. In order to address any problem, one needs to be educated about the problem itself. A meeting with the staff members could be extremely helpful. A list of each person’s job descriptions might be a good tool in understanding which tasks belong to which employee, consequently making it easier to keep the staff members focused or engaged. Getting to know the kids and their backgrounds is also a good starting point. Perhaps interviewing the kids and asking them some questions about themselves and the center will undoubtedly help in understanding what needs to be accomplished. As volunteers, inquiries upon your specific objectives as seen by the prison are essential. Examinations of the specific details which keep the prison running are, without question, warranted and fair. We are there to help and need to know exactly what we have to work with and what we can do. For example, questions about financial details, sanitary issues, employment issues, court cases, organization, maintenance, food issues (type, amount, preparation, etc.), and inmate health are a few of the problems which need to be addressed.
ii. Since CCS approached the prison, it is important that we take the initiative in evaluating the institution. Full cooperation without encouragement should not necessarily be expected from the employees as they have thus far been hesitant to disclose accurate information and cooperate. The possibility of corruption should not be overlooked. The more CCS and its volunteers become involved with the institution, the less this problem should arise. Presently, giving gifts or donations to the staff at the prison has proven problematic. We have been told (by other staff members) that Mr. Gumbo (director) will not distribute gifts adequately, possibly keeping them for his own family or selling them for profit.
b. Learn about the government’s role in running the prison
i. Although corruption may be an issue, it is important to note that many of the problems at the prison arise from inadequate funding from the government. Tanzania is much better off than many other countries in Africa, but sufficient government support is still a major problem. A basic knowledge of government involvement is all that is needed. The budgets at the Juvenile Detention Center can provide an ample amount of information.
c. Become involved with the children’s court cases (see section VI. below)
d. Try to get the staff members involved with the kids
i. Even though the ladies who work at the prison are intimidating and it is difficult to approach them, it is necessary to do so. As of now, they have almost no interaction with the children. Instead of watching the kids play or sit in the courtyard, they simply lock them up and make life easy for themselves. So perhaps in the future, volunteers will encourage them to let the kids out of their cell during times that we are not there.
VI. Volunteers and the courts
The main purpose of a Juvenile Detention Center is to correct the behavior of social deviants. When this process has been completed, they should be released. Although some may have a better life in the prison with and more food and safety than they would find outside, this is not the function of the JDC and any extra strain is placed on the other kids.
For many of the kids, their rambunctious and aggressive behavior towards one another indicates that there is much room for improvement. However, for those who were unjustly detained, little correctional action may need to be taken at all. As for the rest who needed discipline and have shown drastic signs of improvement, there is no longer much purpose in detaining them. The correctional process should go beyond simply reprimanding kids for bad behavior by rewarding good behavior, especially on judgment day.
It is actually the director’s job to monitor all advancements made by the kids and report on them in the courts, but this is making a huge presumption about the director’s honesty and occupational commitment. In reality, the director currently has nothing to do with the kids. Court dates come and go without anyone coming to collect the child or reporting on their behalf. In response, volunteers may spend most of their time within the gates with the kids, but we can play one of our most significant roles in the courts. This is another aspect in which we can help the prison become more self-sustaining, and it requires a four-step program.
a) Go to court when we support the child being released.
During our time here we went to three court cases, in which all three detainees were released. The three accused had all been there for quite some time and had clearly demonstrated their capability to act appropriately in society. Although we may not play a direct part in the trial or be able to understand everything which is going on because of the language barrier, our presence at the kids’ hearings shows our support of the children and the movement for them to be released. Our presence there also sped the process up quite significantly, all of our accused being heard in less than two hours. Creating a calendar containing the court dates of each inmate may be a helpful tool in ensuring attendance at cases which are supported.
b) Establish ourselves as employees of the Juvenile Detention Center.
As our presence becomes more normal, perhaps we will be able to establish a relationship with the members of the court establishing ourselves as employees of the Juvenile Detention Center instead of mzungus. We may be able to present our documentation of the kids’ progress which may then be taken into consideration when the judge makes the verdict. As a result, we will be able to go to all court cases to support the accused, even if we do not support his/her release. In this case, a chart containing information on each individual’s development may be helpful.
c) Get the Director involved
As we try to make the JDC more self-sustaining, we will hopefully be able to get the director of the center (Mr. Gumbo) to accept more of his responsibilities. If volunteers can get him to go to the trials and present the information which we have collected, a huge step will be made towards our goal. That does not take much of his time or effort and he should be able to make this concession quite easily.
d) Having the director present information which was collected by himself and other staff members
Eventually, volunteers will no longer have to be present at court dates and the director will be able to take over the process in its totality. At this point, a major challenge will have been overcome in the mission to improve the functioning of the prison. At this point, he might begin accepting more of his responsibilities like making house visits to report on the domestic situation of the inmates.
Date: 4/11/08
Name of Program: CCS Kilimanjaro-Rau/Moshi
Length of Stay: 8 weeks
Placement: Juvenile Detention
Assignment: Teaching, entertaining, and playing with the boys. Counseling when the opportunity arises. This placement is concerned primarily with flexibility and being able to take cues from the boys on any given day.
Review of General responsibilities: responsibilities include preparing lessons, lots of games, and companionship. Listening is an extremely important skill because the boys’ self-expression is stifled. Once again, the most important thing is establishing the level of all the different boys and being able to help and cater to all of them.
Provide a more detailed description of activities or ideas implemented at your placement.
Each day we started with introductions in order to signal the beginning of the day. It also aided in speaking English, for instance, “Hello, my name is…”. Then we would play some games or learn a new song. Each day I usually did a “main activity”. These included writing post cards, self-portraits, team work activities, yoga, etc. When there are more volunteers it’s beneficial to split the boys up by age/grade and provide lesson plans for the separate groups.
It’s difficult because the boys rotate in and out and their levels are completely different.
Describe any supplies/working materials that would be useful at your placement:
Books of all levels, pencils, pens, markers, scissors, glue; anything really creative. Art supplies are great and anything physical, like balls or rackets.
Provide any additionally comments that would be helpful to new volunteers:
Flexibility is an absolute requirement at this placement. There will be times when you will be responsible for independently handling many boys at different levels. Often times some of the boys may not want to do what you have prepared; in this case they might wander away or disrupt the class. Try not to get frustrated. It is not you, they may be frustrated or something may have happened when you were not there. Bring a lot of back up plans and just go with the flow. The boys have so much love in them, it’s a matter of bringing it out.
Name of Volunteer: Alexis Cariello
Contact Address: 319 W. 18th St. new york, ny 10011
E-mail: alexis.cariello@gmail.com
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