Since 2021, In But Free, with support from LHL International (Norway), has been implementing the Building Bridges Project across 13 correctional facilities in Zambia, reaching over 9,000 inmates and correctional officers in the Copperbelt, Central, and Northwestern Provinces. The initiative responds to the high burden of TB, HIV, and other infectious diseases in correctional settings by training inmates and officers, establishing Infection Prevention and Control committees, conducting TB screening, and providing nutrition support and essential health commodities. Peer Educators play a central role by leading health awareness sessions and mobilising their peers for regular screening and care.
The Goal of the Building Bridges project is to promote the prevention and control of tuberculosis, HIV, and other chronic infectious diseases in Zambian prisons through partnerships that bring together civil society, the criminal justice system, public health authorities, and surrounding communities. By combining capacity building, service delivery, and advocacy, the project improves access to quality health services in correctional facilities while reducing disease transmission within and beyond prison walls.