Do You Hear Me

Approximately 500 babies, toddlers and children under age 3 currently live incarcerated with their mothers in prisons across Mexico. They have been described as “the invisible children.”

A friend described this story perfectly

”We went to Mexico as part of your crew. The idea to visit 3 Mexican prisons and an orphanage for children who spent their first years behind prison bars, is not something you can imagine.

To start with the locations. We drove by car through poor neighbourhoods where people truely try to make the best of it. The neighbourhood people live in and the danger around every corner is the scene most prisoners know too well.

To enter a prison, feels like “ I hope we can leave this place”. Passing by crowded prison cells with women that yell and screem. For us they look angry and dangerous, we don’t know what crime they comitted. Until we arrive to the open air ground were there are activities, and you feel ok.

We walk to the area where Reinserta made a playground and education rooms for children of different ages. Reinserta, the organisation who makes our visit possible, has 10 ladies working on Santa Martha prison.

Two stories we will remember: grandma, daughter and granddaughter managed a kidnap company. Now in prison they run a drugskartel. A gay woman who rather life behind bars, instead of living in fear outside the prison.

The next day we would enter a high security prison. Once inside we were soon taking part of a workshop aiming on how to hold and hug your child. Some women participate because they had very agressive behauvoir towards their older children.

The following day we visited the 3th prison. We walked through a corridor were men are captured. The yell at us, we can’t understand what they are saying but the view is scary. The guard says: “keep on walking to the next gate, don’t look around”. We arrive in the area where the female prisoners are located. We see an open space with lot’s of laundy, immediately we see the first children walking behind their mother. We kept on walking to meet the womennin their cells. The cells are small (2,5 x 2,5 meter) with a high humidity. Their were 6 beds in this small spacewith on both sides little hammoks for the babies. Who hang above the mothers beds. A very tiny shower and toilet inside each cellblock. How can the babies live in there with 6 mothers? This girl, she didn’t want to go anywhere without her mom. And we learnt she must leave, because she turn 3 years.

We hope those kids, come out and never see bars again and will one day be embraced by the lovely world.

More info: alicedekruijs.com