A story of renewal behind bars through farming

Bernard Mafenyo (61) is an inmate at Divundu Correctional Facility, counting down the days until his release.For him, hope for a better life beyond prison lies in the garden he has tended since 2022, when he was transferred from the Evaristus Shikongo Correctional Facility.“I decided to start working in the garden because it is quick food to eat,” Mafenyo told Namibian Sun this week. “If you’re hungry here, you can take a leaf. Other foods take a long time, but this one is better. Even at home, I prepare small portions from what I grow to feed myself and my neighbours.”Farming as Dignity and SurvivalMafenyo’s love for farming goes beyond survival; it is a source of dignity and self-reliance.“They don’t have to struggle to travel more than 200 kilometres to Katima. They can come here and take leaves to feed their children, like I do. You must eat together,” he said.He drew on his faith and tradition to explain why farming is so important.“God gave us soil so we can produce food. Even the people who lived in the Garden of Eden had fruits like this, which survive through generations. When you sell what you grow, even one person can buy something new.”A Message of Rehabilitation Through WorkMafenyo’s message to fellow inmates is clear - embrace the work and learn skills that will help you after release.“We are here to produce food with our own hands, not just to sit and wait for the day we go home. God helps the person who helps himself. If you go home without a plan to bring food to your table, how will you survive? You might come back again.”He urged fellow inmates not to feel oppressed by the work or the system.“We are not slaves. This food might cost $30 or $40 in a shop, but here it’s ours because we produce it ourselves. When it’s butternut or pumpkin season, we have plenty. Everywhere in Africa, people eat food from working. Food doesn’t come from heaven — now we have to work, and when we work, we eat.”Skills That Build a FutureMichel Christiaan van Gruenen, the farm manager at Divundu Correctional Facility, explained how agricultural work forms part of inmates’ rehabilitation.“Inmates are assessed in Windhoek to see if they are willing to work in agriculture. By the time they arrive here, many are ready and motivated.”Because Divundu is an open facility, inmates operate tractors and tend gardens, planting cabbages and other crops by hand.“These skills prepare them for life outside. One of my former tractor drivers was released last November and now works on a private farm in Gebabers.”Van Gruenen emphasized the importance of meaningful work for inmates.“Doing what they like helps them cope with their sentence and stress. It gives them purpose and hope.”phillipus@nmh-hub.com.na

A story of renewal behind bars through farming

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-24

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A story of renewal behind bars through farming

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Namibian Sun 2025-07-24

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