This Life 2: Journey to Freedom

This year we are celebrating 20 years of Freedom in South Africa and that's why we have chosen “Freedom” as the theme we worked with in thinking about these stories.

This is the second issue of This Life, and the first publication of K.I.F Komiks. A project born at the Young in Prison SA post-release programme, a programme which uses art and creativity to assist young men (and the occasional young woman) to readjust to life outside of prison by becoming more self aware, more aware of their social circumstances and gaining the skills needed to make a living for themselves so that they don't resort back to crime and return to prison.

As all of the artists that contributed to this book have experienced imprisonment at some point in their lives, most of them recently, the issue of freedom has a particular significance to them. It is also unsurprising that many of the stories either start with someone getting released from prison or end with their incarceration.

Another significant point which came up during the discussions we had and also appears in many stories is that poverty is oppressive and that without material resources, they do not have freedom. Its no wonder then that so many young people support the opportunistic politicians that are calling for economic freedom. Whether or not they are able to deliver such a populist dream remains to be seen.

What we can see is that after 20 years of so called freedom in South Africa, many young people are still struggling without access to opportunities or resources and this is contributing to their decision to resort to crime, causing them to land up in conflict with the law and going to prison.

We hope to bring about a change in their economic circumstances by facilitating their access to resources and opportunities as well as supporting their emotional development giving them the opportunity to express themselves, freeing them from the emotional baggage that they have accumulated in their young lifetimes.

The stories in this compilation are one of the ways they get to share what they have endured as well as figure out the possibilities for the future. Most of the stories are based on personal experiences though some artists chose to create fictional stories that are representative of their social circumstances.

Their are similarities between many of the stories but each one is unique and special and created with a distinctive style. I was impressed and amazed by their focus and dedication to the process. Despite the difficulty in creating these stories, everyone who started on the comic book, completed a story and I am so proud of them all. There was also an artist, Siphamandla Phoswa, who far exceeded my expectations and has gone on to create an entire graphic novel detailing the struggles that he was facing prior to going to prison. You can read an excerpt of his story “Life isn't easy everyday” but look out for the full novel, which will be the second book printed by K.I.F Komiks.

Clinton Osbourn You can mail me at clinton@younginprison.org.za for more information.

You can see more about Young in Prison at www.younginprison.org.za.

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