Puerto Vallarta, Mexico – What’s life like for young women in a Mexican jail? Usually, in “normal, pre-Covid” times, it’s bad. They must rely on family, friends or volunteers to provide clothes, bedding and hygiene products because the Mexican government doesn’t. But, in normal times, at least they get to see their children.
But Covid has hit the women who are held in the jail in Bucerías like a freight train. No one has been allowed to visit them since March 2020, and for months they were without soap, toilet paper, toothpaste, sanitary pads or fresh fruit. And they couldn’t see their children.
However, Dale Boulayadi, a volunteer with the charity Vallarta Abuelos, believes in the saying, “I can’t do everything, but I can do something.” The ‘Abuelos’ are a group of Mexicans and ex-pats in Puerto Vallarta who create and support educational and cultural projects for at-risk children. What children are more “at-risk” than those whose mothers are in prison?
Six months ago, Vallarta Abuelos started collecting donations to buy the women’s hygiene products so desperately needed. After all, we all run out of toilet paper and soap. Every two months, Dale takes a carload of supplies out to the prison and delivers them for the women prisoners. Vallarta Abuelos has also established a prison library for the ladies, with more than 300 books.
A couple of weeks ago, on Christmas Eve, magic happened at the prison. A few weeks beforehand, volunteers from Vallarta Abuelos planned a Christmas reunion between moms and their children. The prison’s social worker, Desiree Cardona, gave Vallarta Abuelos a list of the names and ages of the twenty-three children of the inmates. Then volunteers shopped for toys for each child individually, and the toys were delivered to the prison. On Christmas Eve, the families were allowed to visit the inmates for the first time in almost two years, and each of the moms was able to give their children the presents purchased by Santa’s elves from Vallarta Abuelos.
The families also enjoyed tamales, cake, cookies, and sodas and each woman received gifts of soap, shampoo, lotion, a new makeup set, and a new sweater and blanket. It was “The Best Christmas Ever” for the moms and the children!
All of the women in the jail are victims of domestic violence, starting a cycle of crime, and prison. When the moms are released, many have no parenting skills, and the cycle starts again.
What can we do? Each of us can do something. Vallarta Abuelos is always collecting clothes, blankets and hygiene products for the women, and these can be dropped off at 1261 Bolivia, in Col. 5 de Diciembre. Cash donations may be sent through PayPal to VallartaAbuelos@outlook.com.
The International Friendship Club (IFC) has supported this charity since it was started in 2018. Visit ifcvallarta.org for a full description of all the programs and charities the IFC supports.
Written by John Warren of the International Friendship Club.
The International Friendship Club is a registered charitable organization in Mexico listed as Club Internacional de la Amistad de Puerto Vallarta A.C. It is located at the northeast corner of the Rio Cuale Bridge above the HSBC Bank, Colonia El Centro, Puerto Vallarta, Jalisco, Mexico, 48300. Phone: 322-222-5466. Website: ifcvallarta.org Email: info(at)ifcvallarta.org