HAITI / PRISON LITERACY

Ten detainees of Cap Haïtien prison in northern Haiti were chosen to be trained to teach reading and writing so that they may be able to pass on these skills to their fellow inmates. MINUSTAH

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:12
• Production Date: 12 July 2011
• Asset Language: Original
• Subject Topical: EDUCATION; NON-FORMAL EDUCATION
• Geographic Subject: HAITI; UNITED NATIONS STABILIZATION MISSION IN HAITI - MINUSTAH
• MAMS Id: U110712f

Description

STORY: HAITI / PRISON LITERACY
TRT: 2.12
SOURCE: MINUSTAH
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGE: CREOLE / NATS

DATELINE: 5, 6 JULY 2011, CAP HAITIEN, GRANDE RIVIERE DU NORD, HAITI

Shotlist

5 JULY 2011, CAP HAITIEN, HAITI

1. Close up, word being written on blackboard
2. UP SOUND Bruno Wilbert, teacher:
“This is school, palace. Now you correct this”
3. Pan left, from teacher writing on blackboard to prisoners following class
4. Close up, prisoner writing
5. Med shot prisoner listening
6. Close up, Prisoner’s hand writing
7. Wide shot, prisoners from the back following course with teacher in the background
8. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Bruno Wilbert, teacher:
“People who live in prison are fragile. Some of them might have been subject to violence. So I pray with them. We also do psychological courses with them. So our aim is that they become a model when they get out of prison, but also inside their cell.”
9. Close up, Prisoner’s tattooed hand writing shift focus on words
10. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Jean Baptiste, prisoner:
“We have a teacher who is not only teaching us how to behave well, but he will make of us models so that we can teach in our cell.”
11. Wide shot, prison wall with sky in background
12. Med shot, head of prisoner appearing outside of cell
13. Wide shot, prison courtyard with prisoners’ head outside of their cell
14. Pan left, from cell’s lock to window of classroom with prisoners in the back
15. Wide shot, MINUSTAH correction officer talking to teacher
16. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Marc Donald Jean, correction unit at MINUSTAH:
“Now we are doing a test. This is the last day for them. After that they will get back to their cells where they will provide the training for their cellmates.”
17. Wide shot, teacher playing video
18. Close up, TV screen with correction of the lesson
19. Med shot, prisoners watching the video
20. SOUNDBITE (Creole) Bruno Wilbert, teacher:
“When the prisoners get out, they will be able to read a letter or any mail they receive and then tell their family: this was sent by my son or by my uncle. And that’s a good thing about this project.”

6 JULY 2011, GRANDE RIVIERE DU NORD, HAITI

21. Med shot, shift focus prisoners in cell to teacher speaking
22. Wide shot, prison court yard with class in the back
23. Various shots, class
24. Med shot, prisoners in cells
25. Wide shot, courtyard with cells
26. Close up, letter “a” being written on the blackboard

Storyline

Ten detainees of Cap Haïtien prison in northern Haiti were chosen to be trained to teach reading and writing so that they may be able to pass on these skills to their fellow inmates.

The ten trainers were chosen by the United Nations mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH) amongst the 608 inmates of Cap Haitien on the basis of their reading skills.

Educational courses proposed by the NGO ‘CARITAS’ and MINUSTAH aim to help prisoners be better equipped for life when they get out of jail.

Many are also receiving courses in non-violent behavior.

SOUNDBITE (Creole) Bruno Wilbert, teacher:
“People who live in prison are fragile. Some of them might have been subject to violence. So I pray with them. We also do psychological courses with them. So our aim is that they become a model when they get out of prison, but also inside their cell.”

SOUNDBITE (Creole) Jean Baptiste, prisoner:
“Before that we would stay in our cell. Sometimes I could find myself talking bad language with other prisoners. But now we have a teacher who is not only teaching us how to behave well, but he will make of us models so that we can teach in our cell. All of this brings a lot of change for myself.”

This is the first time this type of training has taken place.

SOUNDBITE (Creole) Marc Donald Jean, correction unit, MINUSTAH:
“Now we are doing a test. This is the last day for them. After that they will get back to their cells where they will provide the training for their cellmates.”

Bruno Wilbert, a trainer for the project is convinced of the importance of helping prisoners.

SOUNDBITE (Creole) Bruno Wilbert, teacher:
“Like this, they will be able to write a small letter home and when they get out, their family will say: this was written by my son or by my dad. And that’s a good thing.”

The team is providing training at other prisons in the area. After this four-month session, the mission hopes to be able to propose a second phase, aimed at providing professional training to about 400 convicted prisoners of the department.