Puppets in Prison
Puppets in Prison began when Gary Friedman and Nyanga Tshabalala were first approached by the Department of Correctional Services in 1996, with the intention of starting an HIV/AIDS awareness program in South African prisons. Diepkloof Prison (Sun City) - a medium security prison in Soweto was chosen for the pilot program. Medium-term juvenile prisoners between the ages of 18 and 24 years were involved in the project. The pilot program scenarios focused on issues such as sexual practices, rape, prostitution, sodomy, drugs and the transmission of sexually transmitted diseases.
Members of both the Correctional Services and Health portfolio Committees from the South African Parliament attended the official launch of the program on 31 April 1996. Carl Niehaus, Chair of the Steering Committee of Correctional Services assured the group that the great success of their program would be acknowledged and supported by the Department of Correctional Services for nationwide implementation. In 1966-97 the program continued at Ekuseni, a youth detention centre in Kwazulu in South Africa, once again working with long-term juvenile prisoners.
If you are interested in watching the full 'Puppets in Prison' television documentary, you may click here!
Members of both the Correctional Services and Health portfolio Committees from the South African Parliament attended the official launch of the program on 31 April 1996. Carl Niehaus, Chair of the Steering Committee of Correctional Services assured the group that the great success of their program would be acknowledged and supported by the Department of Correctional Services for nationwide implementation. In 1966-97 the program continued at Ekuseni, a youth detention centre in Kwazulu in South Africa, once again working with long-term juvenile prisoners.
If you are interested in watching the full 'Puppets in Prison' television documentary, you may click here!