A Prison Officer’s Quest for Transformation
Twenty. This is the number of children fathered by prison officer Tom (pictured). But it isn‘t without multiple challenges.
After fathering 18 daughters, Tom’s goal to finally father a son was achieved. However, the number of children posed a considerable problem to the family’s quality of life, with the birth of another son following. Social, economic and educational struggles ensued.
Having joined the Wise Choices for Life program in 2021, becoming an accredited trainer, Tom was able to reflect on his situation.
‘We cannot change the past but when they empower us, we can change the generation to come,’ he asserted. Acknowledging his own parenting faults, he seeks to inform and educate others on how to live financially viable, healthy and fulfilled lives.
He aims to transfer the empowerment gained from Wise Choices For Life to his community – focusing on the inmates in the prison.
With the overarching belief that the individual has power to change and redefine norms, the Wise Choices For Life program destigmatises issues such as reproductive health.
With greater education and knowledge, the individual is encouraged to make decisions surrounding their own health.
‘I am seeing a change in my life and even the people I train’, Tom explains. He encourages supporters to fund the program as it creates opportunities for truly meaningful change within Ugandan communities.
