India is woefully short of organs available for transplants. Every year about 500,000 deaths happen due to a lack of availability of organs.

There are 1387 functioning prisons in India holding a total of 518,536 prisoners. As they wait out the days cast out by society, a number of these prisoners are reduced to just the number on their uniforms. They are dehumanised and employment opportunities and chances to reintegrate into society are bleak.

The few Rehabilitation programmes that are run, are aimed at getting the prisoners employment. There’s little that’s done to humanise them or help them earn self-respect.

Once they are put behind bars, prisoners are cast out of society. Only a handful of them manage to get employment upon release due to the stigma attached to them.The Indian prison system does not have enough reformation programmes to help their cause. This takes a toll on their self esteem. They are looked down upon and treated differently.

Low morale combined with the lack of jobs makes them feel discouraged about returning to society and could possibly send them down the wrong path again. The Second Life Project gives them the opportunity to rebuild their lives by becoming organ donors and helping those in desperate need of organs.

The Indian Red Cross Society’s ‘Second Life Project’ is an organ donor’s camp in its execution, but a reformation programme in intent. By giving prisoners the chance to be organ donors, a simple yet noble act, the Red Cross offered them a chance to undo Social Stigma. And thus get redemption by giving someone in need of an organ a second life.

First, communication through posters that were placed around the prisons. Followed by organ donation sign ups, and certificates as proof of the selfless act.

Currently, over 500,000 inmates are waiting out their sentences in 1387 Indian prisons, looking for a chance to rebuild their lives. Some are hardened criminals, others are looking to make amends, to reintegrate but social stigma is hard to get rid of.

Rehabilitation programmes train prisoners for occupations and offer employability. What they don’t offer is redemption. Our objective was to give prisoners a second chance at integrating with society. By signing up to be Organ Donors.

This wasn’t just a demand-supply solve, it was the redemption that Men looking for a second chance needed.

We conducted organ donation camps in Indian prisons, where prisoners could sign up to become organ donors to help someone in need.Camps were also conducted on the days prisoners were getting released, so that they could return to society with their heads held high.

Some of the prisons covered included Yerwada Jail in Pune, Kerala Central Jail, Mumbai Central Prison, Presidency Jail in Kolkata and Central Prison Bangalore. The Indian Red Cross Society has certified them as organ donors.

Moreover, we created a website that matched prisoners who were released with suitable job opportunities and encouraged them to become organ donors.

Over 200 prisons across India have expressed interest in participating in The Second Life Project.

This initiative helped boost the morale of the prisoners, making them more hopeful about returning to society as reformed citizens. Thousands of prisoners have signed up to become organ donors. They can now hold their heads high and eventually come back to their families having done a noble deed.

The Second Life Project also gave their family members a chance to be proud of them again. Moreover, the enrolled prisoners became good examples among people in their communities, inspiring them to sign up for organ donation.

We didn’t just help bridge some of the gap to make Organs available for transplants in India, we gave men looking for a Second Chance, a second chance.