wandgestaltung kinderzimmer online

it has been proved that they are innocent however they are in prison. in el salvador criminal mothers have to take their children with them to jail. a lot of them grow up there and can't remember what live in freedom is like. we are in the most dangerous country in the world- el salvador. the country is only as small as hessen, but everyday 18 people get murdered. the reason are two rivaling gangs which have a brutal war ongoing since years. right after our arrival, we realize how much the violence determines the daily life in el salvador. right next to our hotel a 15 year old boy gets killed in broad daylight. for the children in el salvador is that daily grind and even worse, mostly teenagers commit to those crimes. 60k children are members of a gang.

today we visit a prison, that wants to offer the kids a different future. a jail, where criminal mothers take their children with them. growing up behind bars. does that make sense? "first impression: barbed wire, fence, weapons, thats a real clink. i can't imagine how one can have a happy childhood here." we want to find out how the children grow up behind huge bricks and barbed wire. is it possible to grow up happily here? or is the life in jail even better andmore sheltered than on the streets ? we had to wait more than 6 months for a filming permit in the "mother clink". most of the women are in prison because of murder, prostitution, membership in a criminal coalition, blackmail or abduction. we are appointed with the prison warden. "good morning! are you the prison warden?" "yes i am. welcome to the mother-child prison."

"can you tell me some things about the prison? how many women are here arrested? how many children live behind bars?" " we have 118 women and the same amount of children. 23 women are advanced in pregnancy. the nearly 150 women live in only 3 greater area cells together with their children. between 6 and 7 a.m. two wardresses unlock the doors. "it's very muggy, hot and humid in here and it smells a lot like diapers." that's no wonder with nearly 50 children in one room. but the first impression is much better than what we have expected. it's clean, tidy, the children are all in good constitution and the room is very colorful. it feels more like in a youth hostel than a prison. "so everyone gets one of those beds; right?" "yes, everyone."

"it's not that much space, maybe 2 sqm." "yeah, but it's still a prison and you must'nt forget that that's much better than what a lot of them have at home." of course the prison warden has to say that. but we want to find out more and to see the life in the mother-child prison from the childs perspective. veronica, the prison warden, allows us to ask the others. "hey, what's your name?" "jorge!" "and you live here?" "yes, we have a bed and a crib together." delmie is in prison because of blackmail with death results. she is in there since 4 years already and has to stay 4 years longer. when she came into prison, her son jorge was just a few weeks old. "that's not much space for you and your child." "that's no problem. the only problem is that we are so many people in one room, so there are lots of arguments between the kids and also the adults." we are allowed to accompany delmie and jorge today. first step, as every morning: washroom.

there are a few showers, 50 sinks- seems simple but is here a true luxury. a lot of people in san salvador, especially from the poor hoods, don't have any running water. "delmi, does jorge know that he lives in a prison?" "no he does'nt know that at all. for him it's his home." the mothers do a lot to change the looks of the prison, the barbed wire becomes a colorful clothes line. jorge seems a lot happier, than we would've expected. "jorge, what do you want?" "i want a donkey!" "why?" "to play with him" "ok, i promise you, you'll get one, as soon as we are out of here." conversations about being free, grids in front of the windows, barred doors- to us it's nightmarish. for jorge it's normal. 9 a.m. - once a day, delmie is allowed to leave the prison for a few minutes, to bring jorge to the kindergarten of the prison. that's supposed to bring some normality to the daily grind in the prison - in bracelets.

"no, that's nothing bad, he does'nt know what bracelets are. or? how do we call them?" "jewellery." "and what's the special thing about the jewellery?" "if they're to tight, they hurt you!" the idyllic world, delmie builds for jorge seems to work and jorge is a very happy child. the kindergarten of the prison offers a 24h medical care. even in germany that would be extraordinary.here in el salvador it's true luxury. anyway, it still feels like something is missing. but i don't know what yet. while jorge is playing in the kindergarten, the mothers are able to work in prison to earn some money. sewing, knitting, or , like delmie, afield. we take a closer look at the kindergarten and meet kindergarten teacher maria. what is here different in comparison to other kindergarten?

"the most important thing is to give the kids a physical and emotional protection." "they need a very special assistance while they are in clink with their mothers." "why?" "because these children don't know a lot of elementary things, like eating at the table. they really need to be preapred for the world outside." of course, when you live in a room with 50 other kids and mothers, there is a lack of elemntary things like family life. and now i realize what's missing in this environment: men. the children have no male attachment figure. mothers, wardners, kindergarten teacher - all are women. "it's very surprising, the children are really attached to us. they're looking for contact tomen. they're looking for a father figure."

conclusion: the kids are well here. and as far as we can judge: the kids seem to have a happy life even behind bars,even if a real father figure is missing. the longer we stay, the more we realize the deep fear of loosing someone. "goodbye!" "where are you going?" "just to the entrance." ok." i want to talk one more time to the kindergarten teacher about the children and the realtionship to their fathers. and then i see the real problem of the mother-child prison in el salvador: "what happens, when the children are too old for the kindergarten, are they going back to their families?" "that's our problem. some children don't have a family. if the mother is in jail, the father is mostly in jail too or dead. as soon as they are 5 years old, they have to go. away from the kindergarten, away from the prison and they don't know where to go to. i have 2 children which have to go soon and they have no one out there. no dad, nothing. and they can't stay. i can only help to prepare them for that.

we find out that jorges father is in prison as well and is probably going to stay there a lot longer, as delmie. jorge is turning 5 next year and will have to leave the prison then. whereto is blurry. when the kids have to leave with 5 they are often completly alone out there. the children can't wait to go back to their mothers in the afternoon. back to their mothers, back home, back to prison. "did you have a nice day? i waited all day at the door for you." one more year is jorge allowed to stay in prison and with his mother. then he's going to leave the high but also safe walls for the first time. right now, delmie is trying to contact her sister, where her other 4 kids live in good conditions since her arrest. "do you think it's a good place for jorge to grow up?" "no, of course not, no one should've to grow up behind bars." "but i think it's important that he is with me, his mum. with me he is the most safe." "im only afraid, when he has to leave next year and i don't know where he's going. he doesn't know this world.

our conclusion: the kids are fine here. in the prison they are safe, medical supplied, taken care of and with their mothers. all good. the problem is: what is happening after that? as long as they can't provide help after the 5th birthday, the concept of the mother-child jail is not working in my eyes.