The Centre for Hope and Life in and After Prison Initiative Uganda – CHALAPI-UG is a Non Government Organisation based in Kasese Uganda. Founded and directed by Godfrey Kule and a team of board members, we are committed helping people who find themselves in prison and their families and also those who have been released from prison, by various interventions designed to educate, support and encourage.
Please read on to find out more about our work and learn how you can make a difference by supporting this life and community changing Initiative.
What is CHALAPI?
In 2010, qualified Social Worker Godfrey Kule found himself in prison for 70 days after he was falsely accused of theft. He managed to get himself bailed, which is something many prisoners have little concept of, and once he was out of prison he was able to prove his innocence. During this time he lost everything he possessed and almost lost his life. However, the experience changed his life and he made a commitment to God that he would work to improve the lives of prisoners, many of whom are innocent, like him, but on remand waiting for a day in court to plead their case.
What we do
Godfrey set up the Centre for Hope and Life In and After Prison Initiative, or CHALAPI for short, once he was cleared of all the accusations, and it has had a huge impact on the local population, both in and outside prison.
CHALAPI have a number of Board members, ably and generously lead by our Chairman Epafura Masereka, who is a respected local pharmacist. The Board are accountable for decisions made, and members of staff include a Pastor, nurses and an ex-prisoner too. All staff, including our Chairman and Godfrey, work voluntarily and receive NO regular income from CHALAPI.
Registered Nurse Jo Blaker from the UK met Godfrey in 2013, and has supported his work until 2021, including visiting yearly to catch up with his numerous activities and to work with him mainly in health education within the local Prisons.
Justice
Supporting detainees through the legal process, informing them of their rights and how to present themselves in court. CHALAPI will approach court officials if an injustice or oversight appears to have been made. If the rights of a prisoner have been violated CHALAPI will get involved, and will actively protect prisoners from any mistreatment. A successful small claims court has been established, due to intervention from CHALAPI, to help those with a small debt stay out of prison, so that they can earn money and pay the debt off. Godfrey is always available and ready to support anyone who contacts him, and offer advice should anyone need it.
Education
Educating Prison Officers, Village Health Teams, Community Workers, Teachers, Pastors etc in Compassionate Whole Person Healthcare – the importance of the health of the body, mind, spirit and family when caring for a prisoner, patient or family member. It includes teaching on how this care can help sick people when medicines are limited, which is common in remote prisons and in mountainous areas.
Health
Improving the health of Prisoners with, among many other initiatives, medical outreaches to identify and treat communicable diseases, the installation of hand washing stations in the prisons to reduce the spread of diseases, cleaning and painting of prisons and police station cells to improve physical and mental health, installing solar panels to give light in the evenings to reduce fear and anxiety, and putting fresh water tanks in the cells to allow prisoners to access clean drinking water when they are locked in.
CHALAPI also get involved in Disaster relief work, for example providing Whole Person Health support, advice and practical help during floods in the area in 2020. Godfrey has received training in Disaster Management from the International Red Cross.
It is said that no-one truly knows a nation until one has been inside it’s jails. A nation should not be judged on how it treats it’s highest citizens but it’s lowest ones
Nelson Mandela