By Augustine Octavius, augustineoctavius@gmail.com.
PHOTO: Participants pose for group photo after certification
The Prison Fellowship Liberia, with technical and financial support from the Hope Bearer Foundation and the Thrive 4 Life, has ended a five-day community empowerment training for monitors, trainers of trainers in Gbarnga Bong County.
Speaking at the program marking the end of the week-long training, the fellowship’s Country Director, Reverend Francis Kollie, disclosed that these monitors and trainers of trainers will in turn train 500 members of families of inmates on farming and animal husbandry in order for them to fetch for themselves.
He explained that some of these families will be given vegetable seeds and animals, adding that, “those who are trained are now the messengers, mentors and staffs for this project to be implemented in Montserrado, Margibi and Bong Counties,”
The Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director maintained that these three counties were selected because of the high number inmates in these areas.
According to Reverend Kollie, several families have been made hungry and some experience the lack of medication due to incarceration of the persons most of whom are the bread winners and responsible for the families’ medication.
The Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director added that this project is intended to add food security to empowerment so as the prevent the families of inmates from experiencing hunger and lack of funding for medication
Reverend Kollie described the training as an important moment, because being for the last five days is intended to shift the mind-set of Liberians towards the families of inmates.
He explained that over the years, the PFL and partners have observed that whenever one person, male or female, it has direct effect on the children and other dependents on the person jailed.
“It is based on this back ground,” Reverend Kollie went on, “PFL and partners want to attach food security to the advocacy of the rights of inmates by providing the initiatives aimed at training in agriculture.”
Subsequently, the families will be taught on how to farm and at the same time use the farm as a means of generating small incomes for medication
Performing the launching of the project, Reverend Kollie said it is the time for Liberians to begin to plant what they eat and eat what they grow.
The training under the theme: “Empowering Communities To Empower Families of Especially Those Incarcerated: Improving Quality Life for Vulnerable Households Impacted by the of Key Breadwinner of Primary Caregiver, Incarceration, or Victim of Crimes.”