Prisoners at the state central prison were recently provided with sporting materials to help in keeping them physically and mentally alert.
The materials, worth thousands of dalasis, are donated by Prison Fellowship The Gambia and the German Embassy in The Gambia.
According to officials, Prison Fellowship The Gambia contributed 25% while the German Embassy contributed 75% of the total cost of the materials.
Speaking at the presentation ceremony held at the Gambia Prison Service office in Banjul, Bernard Mendy, chairman of Prison Fellowship The Gambia, said the materials presented included volleyballs and nets, basketballs, table tennis balls, cycling bike and others items, all geared towards uplifting the physical wellbeing of prisoners at state central prison.
He said the fellowship, established two years ago, was able to secure funding from their donor partners to provide the sporting materials for the prisoners.
The equipment were meant to help in upkeeping the prisoners' physical wellbeing and to develop a store of books to encourage prisoners to read and keep them mentally alert for their return later to the society.
Mendy revealed that "efforts are underway in seeking funding to construct a library for prisoners", to keep them mentally alert.
He commended the German Embassy for their timely intervention in supporting the prisoners at the state central prison.
For her part, H.E. Anita Martin, the German consul to The Gambia, said: "This is in line with government's efforts to improve prison service in meeting the international standards."
She said the recently concluded seminar on judiciary to review the Prison Act, the Criminal Procedure Code, Women Act, and Children Act, was held also with the view to formulate a plan of action that would capture the essence of improved prisons conditions.
"This is in line with all applicable laws to address the current prisons systems and assess the social dimension of these gaps," she said.
Representing the director of prison, Thomas Jarjue commended Prison Fellowship The Gambia and the German Embassy for their laudable gesture and assured them that the materials "will be used" judiciously.
