Written from the point of view of Agnieszka Szeliga–Żywioł, GWMD coordinator at Probacja, the NGO implementing the project in Poland.
05 July 2026, Nowy Wiśnicz (Poland) — This year’s Game with Mum & Dad season in Poland began in a place unlike any other. On 5 July 2026, families gathered for a football match inside the historic walls of the former Carmelite monastery, today part of Nowy Wiśnicz Prison.
This was the third time we organised GWMD in this prison. We transformed the area of the former monastery chapel into a football pitch. The chapel had been destroyed during the Second World War, and this historic space was given a new purpose: creating an opportunity for children and fathers to spend meaningful time together.
Preparing the space required teamwork and creativity. One of the prison officers even brought football goals from his own home, while we marked the pitch with colourful cones. The youngest players did not always follow the boundaries of the field — but their enthusiasm was impossible to miss. With children’s songs playing in the background, families came together for a football match filled with encouragements.
The weather brought its own challenge. In the days leading up to the event, we closely followed the forecast, which predicted difficult conditions. Just one hour before the families arrived, heavy rain was falling and we had already started preparing to move activities indoors. Then, just before the match began, the rain stopped. By the end of the afternoon, the sun was even starting to appear through the clouds, allowing families to enjoy the outdoor activities as planned.
After the football match, families continued spending time together. Thanks to the generosity of our donors, participants could share refreshments, including freshly prepared pancakes made by a chef with toppings chosen by the children and their families. Football-shaped beanbags provided a space to rest, talk and enjoy being together.
For me, one of the most meaningful moments of every GWMD event is seeing children become absorbed in the experience. For a few hours, they are not focused on the prison environment around them. They are simply children spending time with their fathers. The importance of these moments was also reflected in the feedback from participants. One family member shared:
“Projects like GWMD are extremely valuable because they give children the opportunity to spend time with their parent in a warm and relaxed atmosphere.”
Another participant highlighted how different this experience is from regular prison visits:
“Taking part in this programme allows parents and children to connect in a completely different way than during regular prison visits. They can play together, compete together and children become much more open with their fathers.”
For us at Probacja, GWMD has never been only about football. Football is the tool that brings people together. The real purpose is to create a safe and positive environment where children and parents can reconnect, strengthen their relationship and experience moments of family life that are often difficult to create during imprisonment.
