TEREKEKA – It is a mercilessly humid day in Central Equatoria.
But for peacekeepers from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS), it’s another opportunity to find solutions to the many challenges that communities across the country face.
A patrol from the UN Peacekeeping mission winds its way through dusty roads, stopping at checkpoints. Inside the cars are uniformed and military personnel who are bound for Terekeka county, specifically to the prison there.
The prison houses some 80 prisoners at Terekeka prison, including juveniles and five women. Regardless of their offenses, prison officers are aware that detainees share the same right to dignity and hope for their futures as those outside prison walls.
“Most of our prisoners want to be of use and find ways to be productive while serving their sentences,” shares Sabuni Samuel Ulija, Deputy Director for technical services of the National Prison Service.
It is this hope for rehabilitation and future reintegration into society that led to a joint project initiated by a collaboration between UNMISS and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO): the Green Corrections Initiative, where both prisoners and officers are provided with tools and training to turn bleak prison grounds into flourishing farms.
To plant okra, maize, and sweet potatoes as well as various types of fruits, Patrick* and fellow prisoners eagerly prepare for rainy season, turning firm ground into fertile soil.
“Farming doesn’t feel like work. It became something we always look forward to,” he says.
“My father was a farmer and I learned from him. Now, I enjoy teaching my fellow inmates about which vegetables are best to grow. I think he would be proud of me,” adds the 29-year-old who has been in custody for three months after a family feud turned violent.
Right across the fence, in the separated female prison yard, 26-year-old Mary* has a similarly heartwarming story.
“It has always been my dream to become a farmer. Seeing crops growing all around us gives me so much joy,” she says.
As these prisoners in Terekeka create lifelines for themselves and their communities, their efforts were supported by UNMISS and FAO who delivered over 200kg of seeds to be planted not just inside the prison but in the 285 hectares of farmland provided by the Government to encourage this simple yet sustainable practice, which could potentially serve nearby communities as well.
“From the moment the Green Corrections initiative began, the results have been clear. Not only does it transform the lives of the incarcerated, but it creates positive ripple effects in the communities around them. This is foundational work where you can see real impact taking shape on the ground,” says Abdul Arshad, Head of Corrections with UNMISS RoLSIS.
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By Jaella Brockmann
