ALLONS-Y

ALLONS-Y is founded on the belief that everyone, including prisoners, has the right to rehabilitation, social inclusion and reintegration.

Music and art are universal languages that transcend walls, cultures, and prejudices. By offering opportunities to express themselves creatively and to experience dignity, the project sends a clear message: exclusion breeds violence, while inclusion fosters peace. Recognising the humanity of prisoners acknowledges the values on which a just society is founded.

Cameroon: a country torn between poverty, detention and social exclusion

With a poverty rate of 37.5%, it ranks 151st out of 189 countries in the Human Development Index. Behind these figures lie stark inequalities and the challenge of creating an inclusive society that ensures dignity for all, including its most marginalised members. Among the most excluded communities are prisoners, who are deprived not only of their liberty, but also of humane living conditions, social acceptance and genuine opportunities for change.

The crisis surrounding detention facilities

Prisons in Cameroon suffer from chronic overcrowding, inadequate food, poor sanitation, and a severe shortage of rehabilitation programmes. 55.83% of inmates are still awaiting trial, trapped in prolonged uncertainty. In such conditions, detention risks becoming a cycle of exclusion, resentment and despair rather than a moment of justice. Society itself pays the price, as stigma and neglect push many former prisoners back towards marginalisation and reoffending. Humanising detention is not only a moral duty, but also a social necessity.

Opened in 2023, Douala-Ngoma Central Prison is the largest in the country, with a projected capacity of 4,000 inmates. However, despite being new, it offers no educational or training opportunities. Its remote location outside Douala further isolates detainees from society, exacerbating their exclusion.

This is where ALLONS-Y steps in, offering creativity, voices and hope, rather than repression, silence or abandonment.

ALLONS-Y: art is resistance and transformation

At the heart of the project is the creation of a recording studio and a workshop for crafts and visual arts within the prison. Music, painting and craft production are not just hobbies; they are tools for self-expression, healing and transformation. They enable detainees to discover their talents, tell their stories and rebuild their dignity. A song recorded or an object crafted within prison walls becomes a symbol of change, proving that people defined solely by their crimes can create beauty and meaning.

ALLONS-Y is not just about prisons; it is also about wider society. By strengthening cultural and educational opportunities for prisoners, the project helps to prevent violence and crime among young people by raising awareness of the destructive effects of illegal behaviour, substance abuse and marginalisation. The ultimate goal is to replace a culture of illegality with one of responsibility and belonging, providing alternatives that have an impact far beyond the prison gates.

Rehabilitation does not end when the prison gates open. ALLONS-Y also supports former prisoners by providing them with free access to the recording studio in Douala and connecting them with professional networks and sales channels for their artwork. Thus, what begins as a path of expression inside prison becomes an opportunity for employment and reintegration outside, thereby breaking the vicious cycle of reoffending and stigma.

Building bottom-up bridges across continents

One of the initiative’s strengths lies in the exchange of good practices between different contexts. Through its partnership with Libera. Associations, Names and Numbers Against Mafias, which has long promoted reintegration projects for young offenders in Italy, ALLONS-Y connects African and European experiences. This bridge of knowledge and solidarity strengthens the preventive power of art, music and crafts, demonstrating that dignity and inclusion are universal values that transcend borders.

The project is led by BLOOM Onlus and supported operationally by the Jail Time Records Association Culturelle, which runs studios and workshops in Cameroonian prisons. The partnership with Libera guarantees expertise in educational justice and international visibility through the PLACE network. Together, these organisations share a vision to transform detention into a space of growth, solidarity and transformation.

By providing opportunities for creativity and dignity, ALLONS-Y sends a clear message: recognising the humanity of prisoners means recognising the values on which a just society is built. ALLONS-Y speaks to all of us. It challenges prejudices that reduce detainees to their crimes, reminding us of their humanity, fragility and potential instead. It is therefore a manifesto of dignity, a commitment to human rights and an investment in the future.