Prison Fellowship Liberia has concluded a five-day community empowerment training aimed at addressing the economic hardship faced by families of incarcerated persons, with a new focus on building sustainable livelihoods and strengthening food security across vulnerable households in Montserrado, Margibi, and Bong counties.
The program, held in Bong County with technical and financial support from the Hope Bearer Foundation and Thrive for Life, brought together participants from the three counties as part of a broader initiative designed to improve the economic resilience of families affected by incarceration.
Organizers said the training is expected to establish a network of community-based trainers who will cascade knowledge, skills, and agricultural support to at least 500 inmate families, many of whom face severe financial strain when primary breadwinners are imprisoned.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, Prison Fellowship Liberia Country Director, Rev. Francis Kollie, said the initiative directly responds to the economic and social challenges confronting affected households.
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He explained that incarceration often creates a ripple effect that leaves families struggling with food insecurity and limited access to essential services such as healthcare and daily sustenance.
"These trained participants will now serve as messengers, mentors, and implementers of this project in Montserrado, Margibi, and Bong Counties," Rev. Kollie said, noting that the program will directly benefit at least 500 inmate families across the three counties.
Rev. Kollie said the intervention goes beyond advocacy by equipping families with practical agricultural skills in farming and animal husbandry, enabling them to produce food and generate income.
According to him, selected households will receive vegetable seeds and small livestock to help kick-start farming activities, combining immediate relief with long-term self-reliance.
"This initiative is designed to combine food security with empowerment, so that families of inmates are not left in hunger or without support for medical needs," he said.
He noted that the program reflects a shift in how incarceration is understood, moving beyond a justice-centered approach to one that also recognizes its broader social and economic impact on families.
Rev. Kollie added that many of the targeted counties record high inmate populations, where the absence of breadwinners places heavy financial pressure on already vulnerable households.
"It is based on this understanding that Prison Fellowship Liberia and its partners are integrating food security into advocacy for the rights and welfare of inmates and their families," he explained.
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He also encouraged greater national engagement in agriculture as a pathway to resilience, stressing the importance of local food production in reducing household vulnerability.
"It is time for us to plant what we eat and eat what we grow," he said.
The initiative is being implemented under the theme: "Empowering Communities to Empower Families of the Incarcerated: Improving Quality of Life for Vulnerable Households Affected by the Incarceration of Primary Breadwinners or Caregivers."
Organizers say the program represents a broader shift toward integrating social protection with economic empowerment, aimed at reducing long-term vulnerability while strengthening community-led support systems for affected families.
