Sean* was sentenced to fifteen years in prison in the Caribbean, and during that time he was forced to exist in life-threatening conditions.
Sean kindly agreed to share his story as part of our recent BBC Radio 4 Appeal. As a foreign prisoner, he was at the back of the queue for food and frequently received nothing to eat at all. With filthy surroundings, only a thin blanket on a concrete floor to sleep on, and no clean drinking water, Sean's health quickly deteriorated and he contracted Hepatitis. Whilst very sick, he was also surrounded by violence and regularly witnessed people being stabbed.
Thankfully, Prisoners Abroad was able to help Sean. He began receiving our Survival Grant, a modest £35 a month, which enabled him to purchase bottled water and some fresh food. This was supplemented by our Vitamin Grant and we also paid for medical care so that Sean could be seen by a doctor and prescribed antibiotics. Our support gave Sean hope throughout a very difficult sentence.
- £35 can help supply a prisoner just like Sean with a month of food and safe drinking water in a country where this is not otherwise provided.
- £70 will help us purchase a doctor's visit and antibiotics for the most vulnerable people we support.
- £100 will support a prisoner with long-term health conditions, providing them with life-saving medicine and hospital care.
Sean is now back in the UK and looking towards the future, but we are currently supporting many other British prisoners just like him in 96 countries. With your help, we can protect each and every one of them. Thank you.
You can still listen to our appeal, read by our patron and esteemed actor, Dame Harriet Walter, via BBC Sounds.
*Name has been changed to protect identity and photo is of an actor.