Free agricultural food: Inmates in Rebibbia prison produce quality cheeses.

FREE FARM FOOD

Within the confines of the Rebibbia women's prison , there is a large swath of land cultivated using organic methods and raised animals such as sheep, rabbits, chickens, and turkeys. Thanks to this small "farm," a dairy project has become a reality, thanks to which 18 inmates have learned to produce excellent cheese . The initiative, which has taken the name " Free Agricultural Food ," has also allowed four other women to find paid employment. According to its promoters, this is a way to help break down a wall of incommunicado between those inside and outside prison , all through learning a trade.

ALSO READ: Freedhome, the shop that aims to help prisoners recover by selling products made in prison.

ACTIVITIES IN PRISON

This laboratory processes 200 liters of raw organic milk from a cooperative in Poggio Mirteto in Sabina, producing 20 kilos of cheese per day. The project was made possible thanks to the commitment of the non-profit organization " A Roma Insieme " and Vincenzo Mancino, a prominent figure in Lazio's signature gastronomy, with his restaurant Proloco Dol (which stands for "Of Lazio Origin") in Centocelle, Rome. The project was initially intended to be called "Cibo Libero," but the promoters then decided to include "Agricultural" to differentiate their production from industrial ones. This highlights the short, certified, and reliable supply chain of these cheeses.

CHEESE IN PRISON

The initiative stems from the belief that women prisoners, like men, desperately need work to get them out of their cells and give dignity to their time away from freedom. Projects like these help prevent inmates from falling into depression and the likely feeling of alienation that prison produces . Recalling this consequence of the bars, the promoters and the prisoners decided to simply name the cheeses by their numbers: cheese 1, cheese 2, and cheese 3. This underscores how numbers, in this world, often identify a place, like a cell or a prison ID.

The photos are taken from the Facebook page Cibo agricole libero

WHEN PRISON BECOMES A PLACE OF REBIRTH 

Papageno Choir, Bologna prison inmates sing with volunteers. In the name of Abbado.

Swings in Treviso prison to allow inmates to play with their children

A living library at Bollate Prison: every inmate becomes a book to listen to.

Fairy Tales in Freedom: A book and DVD created for children by inmates at Montacuto Prison.