Four men, all incarcerated for different offences, are united on a mission of purpose: they are spearheading the new poultry project funded by Food For The Poor (Guy) Inc. at the New Amsterdam Prison.
Food for the Poor, in collaboration with the Guyana Prison Service, had established the project in October last year, when a 100 foot x 30 foot coop was built.
“The non-governmental organisation is funding the project at a total cost of $3.5M with the hope of not only enhancing the diet of the prisoners, but of giving them a sense of purpose both in jail and on the outside,” a press statement from Food For The Poor said.
The release said that inmates Nirmal, 30, Fraser, 22, Kedarnath, 23, and Dinkhan, 34, who were given the task of manning the project, which initially started with the rearing of 3000 broiler chicks, will receive a stipend for their work upon release from jail so that they can re-start their lives.
Recently the four prisoners celebrated their first plucking and were duly rewarded by Food For The Poor with hampers. But the reward, according to the men, is secondary compared to their new sense of belonging and usefulness.
Fraser, who is serving three years, said that the work has brought “a little piece of home in prison.” He has some experience with poultry and, like the others, hopes that later he can put into practice what he has learnt in prison.
The four and two project officers were tasked with tending to the birds about three to four times per day.
“The project keeps us busy and happy,” Nirmal said. When the cameras were placed on the four prisoners, their colleagues who were either playing football or just peeping through their cells, all cheered, “That’s our boys.”
Deputy Director of Prisons Poshanand Tahal called the NGO an ally, “one which has over the years assisted the prison in every way possible.” He said: “Over the years, they (Food For The Poor) has donated supplies that we can share with inmates.”
Tahal said that at the end of the project, some 4,000 lbs of chicken will be distributed among the prisons in the country.
“The chicken will enhance the diet of the prisoners,” he proudly announced. Accord-ing to the release, the NGO’s Executive Director Leon Davis was very pleased and pledged more support.
He said his organization wants to make the lives of Guyanese better and he and his workers aim to unearth all funds possible to continue their drive to help with the national feed, clothe and shelter Guyana programme.
