WESTERN CAPE, March 30, 2009 -- The sun is rising from the ocean and a “tablecloth” of fluffy clouds is slowly slipping off Table Mountain. The soft breeze carries another beautiful day to the Western Cape, a summer day that I will spend… in prison: the Brandvlei Maximum Correctional Facility for men.
A 90 km journey brings me in the company of three remarkable South African women I have never met before. We are thrown together by our common interest in the Group of Hope project run at the prison. As we drive away from Cape Town, one magnificent vista of scenery overtakes another. We are soon in the Paarl Winelands. The road is winding along the beautiful Berg River, majestically flanked by the rugged peaks of the Drakenstein range. A road-sign reads: Department of Correctional Services, Brandvlei Maximum. We turn right and yet another marvel unfolds: the Brandvlei Dam, a large body of water tucked away in the mountains.
A guard smiles as he we go through the checkpoint leading to the prison; he knows our driver, who is a regular visitor. The prison ground is a beautiful garden by the dam, and the barbed-wire double fence surrounding it sits uncomfortably against the majestic mountain and blue sky backdrop. Men in bright orange uniforms stamped “prisoner” are pushing barrels past us. But these are not “our” prisoners. Maximum security incarceration does not allow inmates outside of the prison walls.
The rest of the 30-plus invitees to the Group of Hope open house are already at the Wall of Remembrance. This memorial will officially open on May 14, 2009. From behind the prison walls one can hear loud male voices singing in unison. We walk through a narrow passage between two wire fences and make a stop at the vegetable garden where the prison manager proudly shows his “fertilizer worms” project which grows organic vegetables.
As we enter the prison we are searched one by one by friendly wardens. Heavy gates are locked and unlocked, and we can see through a window a large group of men in a hall, singing. We enter the small courtyard surrounded by high walls and then another door is unlocked which leads us to the Group of Hope “kingdom”: three cells converted into workshops (with 5 prisoners working in each) and more inmates sitting around a table in the corridor doing embroidery. Another man is busy on a new assignment, repairing a canvas awning.
The inmates are of different races. Some are quiet and focused on their work, others are just smiling, yet others are eager to show their products and chat, apologizing for their command of English which is remarkably fluent and accurate. The visitors are a varied group of men and women, young and old, black and white.
Other inmates are peeping curiously through the narrow barred windows and I wave and briefly talk to them. There are over 1000 men in Brandvlei Maximum and those outside the “kingdom” are not yet part of the Group of Hope.
The Group of Hope was one of 24 winners at the World Bank’s 2004 Regional Development Marketplace competition for HIV projects in the Southern African Customs Union countries. Dr. Mamphela Ramphele, former World Bank Managing Director presented the awards in Johannesburg. Among the group of international jurors were Dr. Debrework Zewdie, Director of the Global HIV/AIDS Program, and Pamela Cox, World Bank Vice President for Latin America and the Caribbean. There were more than 300 entrants from the five countries. An independent selection committee narrowed down the finalists to about 40, and 24 projects were awarded a total of $400,000 (from the World Bank, IFC, and USAID). Group of Hope received US$7,000 for scaling up the project to seven more correctional facilities.
The Group of Hope project (initiated in 2002) was the initiative of eight inmates, and a social worker, who wanted to inform, “destigmatize” and prevent the spread of HIV and TB in prisons, and focus on crime prevention and rehabilitation of offenders.
When one day the social worker brought Thabang, an orphan boy in rags, to meet the Group of Hope members, the prisoners asked for their civilian clothes, tore them apart, and quickly stitched together an outfit for their new little friend. And thus, the adoption component of the project was born: the inmates took it upon themselves to help children orphaned as a result of HIV. Then came the needlework project to make clothes for the kids, the gardening project to supply them with fresh vegetables, the knitting project to make warm sweaters, and the arts and crafts project making cards, beads and ornaments. All for the kids. The children come from Worcester, the administrative capital of the Breede Valley Local Municipalityand the hub of the Western Cape's interior commercial, distribution and retail activity. All activities take place under the supervision of the prison social workers and wardens, and the foster care parents or other social services officials in charge of the orphans.
We sit on narrow benches, some sit on the floor, others lean against the walls of the small room to watch the video presentation produced by the inmates with help from the social worker. The “adoption” project manager proudly talks about the Christmas party, when the kids were so unruly on the jumping castles and the slides that even the toughest inmates had a hard time keeping order.
Regrettably some of the HIV positive children have died, and since the inmates cannot attend funerals, they built the Wall of Remembrance memorial on the prison grounds. During the unveiling of the Wall in May, the ashes of several inmates who died while incarcerated, and have no families, will be buried there.
Thabang, the oldest adoptee, is turning 18 this year, a real cause for celebration as he is HIV positive, but in the words of the “adoption” project manager: “Thabang is full of life and for him, being HIV+ doesn’t change anything or keep him from dreaming”. And those who have kept his dreams alive are the men behind bars. The inmates want to ensure the ARV treatment of Thabang and ask how they can do that: “Can the Bank help?”
The project is entirely supported by private donations, and volunteer work from well-wishers like the great women with whom I traveled. There are many other supporters of the Group of Hope. A British writer is finishing a book about the project. Her mother teaches the prisoners how to make paper beads and jewelry. The local bank representatives make monetary contributions. Several NGOs provide free training and facilitation; the Red Hat ladies collect everything, from beer cans to clothes, to anything that can be converted into something. They make a paper sleeping bag which costs ZAR5 to make but can keep those who have no blankets warm on cold winter nights. Lovelife NGO, which organized a Youth HIV Prevention event in November 2008 (funded by the World Bank), is looking into opportunities to work with the Bank to keep the SACU Development Marketplace (DM) network alive. The work of the DM winners and excellent interaction is seen as key for leadership promotion in Southern Africa in the fight against AIDS. A local businessman donated the sewing machines and is happy to see the results.
There were many curious visitors on the day I visited. They drive away toward the beautiful vacation spots across South Africa, but they leave with lots on their mind. Just like me: shocked by the violent crime that still runs wild in this amazing country; fascinated by the healing transformation that can take place in a most unusual place; humbled by the grace, forgiveness and generosity of the supporters and the volunteers; inspired by the dedication of the social worker who spares neither time nor effort, despite lack of support from those who should be most supportive, and has gained the incredible respect, admiration and trust of the inmates; enriched by the conversations and contacts made; and hopeful, so very hopeful that good can prevail in a very violent, greedy and alienated modern world. And we all take away another – very special – piece of South Africa.
The author is Eugenia Marinova, Senior Country Officer for the World Bank in South Africa. Marinova visited the Brandvlei prison on January 22, 2009.
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