I was in prison and you came to me...

Serving a jail term is always difficult. When the prisoner is a woman the problems can be compounded.

The city of São Paulo, Brazil, has almost 4,000 women housed in two prisons. Of these, nearly 400 are from outside the country. On top of their legal problems, they must deal with issues involving international consulates, language, health, child care and family.

Sisters Maria Regina Gomes and Michael Mary Nolan have been working with these women’s prisons for over a decade. One of the first prisoners they were able to help has returned to her homeland of South Africa, turned her life around, and started a non-governmental organization so she can help other women who are experiencing the same problems she has overcome. She has been instrumental in helping them maintain contact with their families in their home country and get established when they return.

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