Tcholliré, a town in the north of Cameroon, has been facing major economic and social difficulties. The secondary prison in this region houses numerous inmates in extremely poor conditions, which are aggravated by lack of resources and severely compromised infrastructure. Overcrowding, insufficient essential services and dilapidated facilities make life extremely hard for the prisoners. In addition, a tornado destroyed cell roofs and part of the boundary wall three years ago. At present, inmates can only spend five hours a day outside, from 7 a.m. to 12 noon.
At the beginning of the year, volunteers of the Community of Sant'Egidio brought some concrete help to them. They distributed food, soap and shoes offering relief to those living in a situation of great hardship. ‘Your friendship overcomes all difficulties,’ said the inmates, as they expressed gratitude for the support received. The recent visit of the volunteers was therefore a tangible sign of closeness and solidarity. Thanks to the commitment of the Community of Sant'Egidio, the prisoners have found a friendly presence, which continues to support them and show that they are not alone.
