Female inmates write love stories to their kids

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Hamizah (not her real name) has not had physical contact with her children in months. Twice a year, she gets to touch and hug them during an open visit organised by local charity New Life Stories.
The children and caregivers of 10 mothers in Institution A4, Singapore's only all-women's prison, had been invited to spend three hours together on Dec 14, 2019. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
The children and caregivers of 10 mothers in Institution A4, Singapore's only all-women's prison, had been invited to spend three hours together on Dec 14, 2019. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
The children and caregivers of 10 mothers in Institution A4, Singapore's only all-women's prison, had been invited to spend three hours together on Dec 14, 2019. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
The children and caregivers of 10 mothers in Institution A4, Singapore's only all-women's prison, had been invited to spend three hours together on Dec 14, 2019. ST PHOTO: ONG WEE JIN
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A seedling needs sun and rain to grow into a tall tree and, to Hamizah (not her real name), her two sons are exactly what she needs for strength.

She is serving her third drug-related sentence since 2012, and is focusing on her sons to complete rehabilitation and break the circle.

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A version of this article appeared in the print edition of The Sunday Times on December 22, 2019, with the headline Female inmates write love stories to their kids. Subscribe