OUR VISION IS TO END DEHUMANISATION OF PEOPLE IN PRISON AND BUILD SAFER SOCIETIES.

About raphael rowe foundation

In many prisons across the world basic human rights are not being met and systems are collapsing. We know that stripping people in prison of their humanity damages their mental health, increases violence, and does nothing to reintegrate them into a fractured society. We also know that positively changing prison conditions creates a safer society, both inside and outside the prison walls.

Our vision is to end dehumanisation of people in prison and build safer societies

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The Problem

In many prisons across the world basic human rights are not being met and systems are collapsing, causing overcrowding, rising violence, suicides and drug issues making it difficult to rehabilitate inmates and reintegration back into society. 

THE SOLUTION

Practical, therapeutic, intervention and training solutions to meet basic, physiological and growth needs which lead to improved health and wellbeing for prisoners, staff and relatives. Raised aspirations, improved relationships and self-esteem, reduction in recidivism and violence.

OUR PROJECTS PROVIDE

Support to meet the most basic of needs, such as food, clothing, water, and better sanitation, which lead to a healthier prison population

Meaningful collaborative activity such as our Street Racket initiative to reduce conflict between prisoners and also prisoners and staff to create more harmony and reduce violence to provide the foundation for staff and prisoners to focus on rehabilitation

Education, skills, training, and employment to empower and prepare prisoners for reintegration back into society

ABOUT THE FOUNDER

My name is Raphael Rowe. When I was 20 years old, I was wrongfully arrested, charged, and convicted of a murder and series of robberies I did not commit. I was sentenced to life imprisonment and spent the next 12 years inside British maximum-security prisons fighting to prove my innocence. Finally, my case was referred to the British Court of Appeal where my convictions were ruled unsafe, and I was set free.

Since my release, I have worked as a journalist and broadcast reporter for the BBC, hosted the ‘Second Chance’ podcast series, and, more recently, fronted the Netflix series ‘Inside the World’s Toughest Prisons’. Through my work I have found that in many prisons across the world basic human rights are not being met, and systems are collapsing. I have seen first-hand that stripping people in prison of their humanity damages their mental health, increases violence, and does nothing to reintegrate them into society. I have also seen that positively changing prison conditions creates a safer, less fractured society, both inside and outside the prison walls.

All this has inspired me to try to make positive changes in prison systems throughout the world. I believe passionately that we can make such changes, and this is why I have set up the Raphael Rowe Foundation.

Meet the team

Raphael Rowe

Founder & CEO

Jonty Camsey

Trustee

Andrew Morris

Trustee

Tom Steadman

Director of Operations

Maryse Gordon

Strategic Partnerships

Emma Thorpe

Director of Research

every donation counts

The RRF is a non-profit organisation. We value every donation, no amount is too small. Your contribution directly funds the RRF’s projects & operations which support our mission to transform prisons & communities through compassionate musi.

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