Prison Fellowship Liberia has concluded a five-day community empowerment training in Gbarnga, Bong County, aimed at improving food security, economic sustainability, and the overall well-being of families affected by incarceration and crime.
By Selma Lomax
The workshop, held June 14-19 at Passion Hotel under the theme, “Empowering Communities to Empower Families: Improving Quality of Life for Vulnerable Households Impacted by the Loss of a Key Breadwinner or Primary Caregiver Through Incarceration or Victimization by Crime,” brought together community members, beneficiaries, and stakeholders from several communities.
The initiative was implemented by Prison Fellowship Liberia with technical and financial support from Hope Bearer Foundation and Thrive for Good, a Canadian-Kenyan organization that promotes nutrition, food production, and sustainable agriculture.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prison Fellowship Liberia Executive Director Francis Kollie said the project seeks to address the wider social and economic consequences of incarceration by equipping families with practical agricultural skills that can help them grow food, generate income, and become more self-reliant.
“When an individual is incarcerated, whether male or female, it is not only that person who suffers. Their families, dependents, and associates are also affected,” Kollie said. “We want to change the paradigm by attaching food security and economic empowerment to our prison support programs.”
Kollie explained that Prison Fellowship Liberia has traditionally focused on prison decongestion, access to justice, rehabilitation, and moral education programs.
However, he said the organization is expanding its approach to address the economic challenges faced by prisoners’ families.
Under a three-year project, nearly 500 families of incarcerated individuals are expected to benefit from agricultural support, including vegetable seeds, farming knowledge, and small livestock. The program will initially be implemented in Bong, Montserrado, and Margibi counties, areas with some of the country’s largest prison populations.
Kollie cited overcrowding at the Bong County Central Prison, noting that the facility currently houses about 400 inmates despite being originally designed to accommodate approximately 150 prisoners.
As part of the training, more than a dozen participants received specialized instruction and were designated as community ambassadors who will train beneficiary families in sustainable farming techniques and community development practices.
“Our message is simple: grow what we eat and eat what we grow,” Kollie said. “We want food to become medicine for our people and help families live healthier and more productive lives.”
Also speaking at the event, Jacob Lotodo, partner coordinator for Thrive for Good, reaffirmed the organization’s commitment to supporting vulnerable families affected by incarceration.
Lotodo said sustainable community development requires targeted interventions that address the needs of vulnerable households, particularly women and children, who often bear the greatest burden when a family’s primary breadwinner is imprisoned.
He emphasized the importance of improving soil health, promoting nutritious food production, and encouraging communities to use agriculture as a tool for improving both household incomes and public health.
Participants received training on income-generating activities, family support systems, community engagement, and strategies for strengthening household livelihoods.
The workshop also addressed stigma faced by prisoners’ families and encouraged greater community support for vulnerable households.
At the end of the training, participants were presented with certificates and expressed optimism that the skills acquired would help improve their livelihoods and strengthen family resilience.
Meanwhile, Superintendent of the Bong County Central Prison Gbolomen K. Siakor linked rising crime rates in Liberia to declining participation in agriculture and called on citizens to return to farming as a means of creating economic opportunities and reducing criminal activity.
“What is increasing our population is that we are forgetting about agriculture,” Siakor said. “When people move away from farming and other productive activities, they struggle to support their families, and some may turn to crime as a means of survival.”
She said agriculture remains one of the most reliable pathways to financial stability and urged families to embrace farming as a sustainable source of income.
“If families were actively engaged in agriculture, they would be able to generate income and maintain their households,” Siakor said. “When breadwinners are financially stable, they are better positioned to care for their families and contribute positively to society.”
Siakor praised Prison Fellowship Liberia and its partners for supporting vulnerable households affected by incarceration, describing the initiative as a practical way to help families rebuild their lives while reducing economic hardship.
“It is a great pleasure to see programs that help families generate income while their breadwinner is incarcerated,” she said. “I am very happy to be part of this program, and I hope it will continue for a long time.”
Organizers said the workshop forms part of broader efforts to promote community empowerment, social inclusion, and improved quality of life for vulnerable households across Liberia.
They also called on the government and development partners to support agriculture-based empowerment initiatives that strengthen families and communities affected by incarceration.
