Transport Fund for Relocated Waikeria Prisoners

While the Waikeria Uprising highlighted the injustice many prisoners in New Zealand experience, the protest caused significant disruptions to the lives of the 200 or so prisoners located at the Upper Jail at the time. With a large section of the prison destroyed, prisoners were relocated during the protest to various prisons across the country without notice. Unfortunately, for many, this has created in some cases long distances between them and their whānau or support networks. This can make it even more difficult for their whānau to visit them.

To support these whānau to visit their loved ones in prison, People Against Prisons Aotearoa (PAPA) is launching a transport fund. We are hoping to raise enough funds to support up to 200 whānau to visit. We aim to raise enough for $50 per prisoner. Funding will be provided on a first come, first served basis, although we hope to raise enough funds to cover all affected whānau. Any excess funds raised will be transferred to PAPA’s general advocacy fund, which enables people in prison to apply for one-off funding assistance for personal costs year-round.

The process for distributing funding will work as follows:

1. Whānau members need to apply using this form: https://advocacy.papa.org.nz/o/request/waikeria-funding

2. PAPA will contact the whānau member in prison to see if they want the visit funded.

3. Once the whānau member has confirmed they want the visit funded, funding will be granted to the whānau (as long as there are funds available).

4.Receipts of purchase will be required.

To ensure that all whānau affected by relocations can access this fund, PAPA is matching funds donated up to $5,000 to reach $10,000.

Please join us in supporting these prisoners and their whānau through our Givealittle campaign.

**NOTE: This GiveALittle was originally designed to support a smaller group of affected whānau. The fundraiser was handed over to PAPA by the whānau running the fundraiser to support a greater number of people.**