“ASERVICE I HADN’T EXPECTED IN APRISON’’

B E H I N D C L O S E D D O O R S

Edilawit Alamerew, a 20-year-old inmate at Kality Prison, shared her story.

“It was a very unfortunate day when I ended up in prison at such a young age. I had just arrived home to find my mother in a quarrel with a neighbor. I immediately ran to support my mom, and I just hit the women with a stone, and she fell

and died on the spot. I couldn’t believe my eyes; in just a minute, I became a murderer. The police came and took me away the same day. I was eventually sentenced to 18 years. I am just starting to serve my sentence, and this is how I ended up here. At first, I found the environment very difficult, but later on, I started adapting to it.”

We met Edilawit during our visit to the prison hospital to deliver cervical cancer health education. During the session, Edilawit asked many questions, as this was a topic she knew little about and was eager to learn more. What

she learned gave her significant insights, as she used to smoke and have other risk factors prompting her to undergo a cervical cancer screening test. The screening was performed in the see-and-treat clinic established by Wings of Healing.

Her results came back positive, initially filling her with fear and a sense of disappointment. However, our team reassured her that her condition was easily treatable and immediately offered her cryotherapy treatment. After the treatment, Edilawit expressed her gratitude for the support and care she received, something she had not expected to find in prison.

“Initially, having a positive test result disappointed me. But after realizing that it could be treated easily, it felt like a new beginning. I never thought prisoners could have access to such significant health benefits.”