The female detainees of the Mandaue City Jail did not have visitation privileges during the peak of COVID-19, with little or no contact with family and friends. Their inventory of hygiene products, clothes and other basic needs was sorely inadequate. The challenges of having the holidays during the pandemic reflect the wider challenges that institutions face this year. But the silver lining, these beneficiaries say, is the reliable generosity of donors and volunteers.
On 15 December, 12 members from the Zonta Club of Cebu II, visited the Female Dormitory of the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) of Mandaue City to distribute 200 Christmas care packages to the female wards, officers and staff who manage the institution. The care packages consisted of dignity kits, disinfectants, clothing, snacks, towels, slippers and other essential items. The care packages provided them with the things they needed and showed them that people think about them and care for their welfare as the project aimed to support female detainees facing extreme challenges related to the pandemic during the festive season.
