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TUESDAY 15 September 2020 | Tel: 021 910 6500 | Email: post@peoplespost.co.za | Website: www.peoplespost.co.za
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People’s Post
KENSINGTON
Support for parolees KAYLYNNE BANTOM KAYLYNNE.BANTOM@MEDIA24.COM
W
hen Dawn Leedenberg, a Kensington resident, founded Prison Brake, a nonprofit organisation (NPO), in 2017, her aim was for it to be a support system for parolees. The NPO assists parolees to reintegrate into their community after having served their sentences. Leedenberg says the initiative is a pilot project and, as such, is currently only being run in ward 56 which covers Kensington, Factreton and Maitland areas. “Parolees often find it difficult to find their feet after they are released from prison. When I started the NPO, I did research and found that many of them return to prison because they had no assistance.” She says many parolees struggle to find employment and must deal with prejudice from the community which makes them vulnerable to reverting to a life of crime. “We want to prevent this. That is why we work with many organisations. We offer them counselling sessions, mentorship and try and assist them to find employment.” On Wednesday 9 September, the organisation held an outreach event at the Toy Library in Kensington where food parcels were handed over to over 40 parolees and their families. “We had officials from the department of correctional services present as well as our NGO partners. The aim was really to show our clients that we are still there for them and to check in with them.” Helen Jacobs, the councillor for ward 56, says there are currently 55 parolees in the area, down from the previous 80. Jacobs says supporting ex-offenders when they’re on parole has an impact on the crime rate in the ward. “If assisted and managed, they do not fall back into the old routine so easily. They want to be treated fairly and without prejudice. They know they did wrong and want a chance to do things right this time.” She adds that the parolees are taught skills while in prison, however, there are no opportunities for them to exercise these skills once they’re released. “Prison Brake has programmes that address these gaps, so they don’t have to go
More than 40 parolees were treated to food parcels by an NPO called Prison Brake. back to prison. This is one of many projects by the community organisations in the ward working with all the different groups in the area where there is a need,” explains Jacobs. Keenan Fortuin from Kensington, who was incarcerated for more than three years, is currently out on parole. He has first-hand experience of how challenging life is after imprisonment. “Life outside prison is not the same as I remembered it. Nothing is the
PHOTO: ANGELO KALMEYER
same anymore. I am struggling to find a job and that is very difficult for me.” Fortuin is one of the parolees who benefitted from the food parcels. “I am thankful for the people at Prison Brake, for thinking of me and my family.” He says his main priority now is to find employment. Another parolee, Jacinto Noble, was released six months ago. Noble says reintegra-
tion into society is best approached on a dayto-day basis. “I take each day as it comes. It’s difficult. At the moment, I am looking for a job.” He too is grateful for the food received and says “some days we have food, some days we don’t”. “So, I appreciate what the NPO did for us.” Leedenberg says plans to expand the organisation to other areas are on the table.
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