Former prisoners have shared painful accounts of broken marriages, abandoned families and rejection by loved ones following their release from prison, highlighting the difficulties many face in rebuilding their lives after serving their sentences.
Some said their prison records had cost them their marriages, while others recounted how their families and society continued to treat them as criminals despite efforts to reform and reintegrate into their communities.
The experiences were shared at the first-ever National Ex-Convicts Reintegration Conference organised by the Crime Check Foundation, which is calling for former prisoners to be recognised as returning citizens rather than labelled ex-convicts.
Participants said the stigma attached to imprisonment had made it difficult for many of them to secure employment, restore broken relationships and find stable accommodation after their release.
One former prisoner, who spoke about the impact of his prison history on his family life, said his wife had left him, leaving him to struggle to provide for himself and his children.
“Life after prison has been extremely difficult. My wife left me because of my prison history. Today, I struggle to feed myself and my children. And I have no other place to sleep except seeking shelter in the slum. Sadly, my story is not unique,” he said.
He explained that his experience reflected the difficulties faced by many others who had served prison sentences but continued to face rejection long after their release.
“Many of my fellow ex-convicts have been abandoned by their spouses, rejected by their families, denied employment and stigmatised by society,” he added.
The former prisoner said society often encouraged inmates to reform while in prison but failed to give them a fair chance when they returned home.
He said that their past mistakes continued to define them, making it difficult to move forward even after serving their sentences.
According to him, the rejection and lack of support sometimes pushed former prisoners back into difficult circumstances, undermining efforts to help them become responsible members of society.
Another concern raised at the conference was the financial burden some returning prisoners face after their release, with many struggling to settle debts and meet basic needs.
A participant described how former prisoners often returned to society with financial obligations but had little or no means of meeting them.
He suggested that some were forced to find ways to repay what they owed, whether through money, labour or other forms of assistance, warning that failure to meet these obligations could expose them to further difficulties.
“Most of the returning citizens come out with debt that they have to pay. It’s either you pay in the form of work, or you pay in kind. If you don’t pay, then you go back. Life is tough at times,” he said.