Becoming a Part of the Solution: Reconnecting Incarcerated Youth with Society
Economic stability. Family support. Proper education. Truths about Christianity. Skills training. Exercise. Psychological support. These are some of the solutions that Haggai leaders and brother-sister duo Maureen Malatjie and Sipho Kubayi want to bring to the incarcerated youth in their country.
In June 2022, more than 42,000 youth were incarcerated in correctional facilities across South Africa.* Like other young people throughout the world, South African youth often fall prey to drugs, alcohol, bullying, violence, gangs, and other types of peer pressure. Unfortunately, these problems often lead to criminal behaviors. Between April 2018 and March 2019, 736 of the 21,022 murders in South Africa were committed by children.
South African studies have shown that higher rates of poverty coupled with lower rates of education equal a higher probability for incarceration. The lack of resources and options for incarcerated youth often leads to a perpetual cycle of imprisonment. On average, 68% of incarcerated 18-year-olds return to prison, versus 26% of those 45 and older. What can be done to help the youth caught in this pattern? Maureen feels the Lord has called her to be part of the solution. “While the youth are in a correctional facility, this should be a time of rehabilitation for them,” she says. “In order for the recidivism rate to decrease, we must educate these children, including teaching them about the Lord.
“And as they are released, we must continue to support them, helping them restore the relationship with their community. Part of this is tackling the labels and shame now associated with them. We want them to rejoin society as productive citizens.”
During her Haggai Leader Experience in June 2019, the Lord revealed this new ministry to Maureen. By September of that same year, Maureen was actively involved in working with incarcerated youth at a local correctional facility.
Maureen and Sipho along with another pastor and two sisters — a social worker and a psychologist — have partnered together in this ministry. They host evangelistic sessions and share the love of Jesus with criminal offenders. Maureen says, “Seeing many of them receive Christ has been the most fulfilling experience. So far, I have bought over 50 Bibles to ensure any who do not have a Bible are given one. We encourage them to study the Word of God, and we have corporate prayer together.”
She explains, “By the grace of God, we reconnect offenders who have been disowned by their families. We keep in touch with them after they are released to connect them with churches in their areas to ensure they sustain what they learned about Jesus while incarcerated.”
Partnering with local schools is another passion for the siblings. They invite the juvenile offenders to the schools or have the students visit the correctional facility to learn about societal challenges, such as drug and alcohol abuse, bullying, and peer pressure. The incarcerated young people share personal stories about how the Lord has transformed their lives.
Maureen sums it up best when she says, “God is gracious to have partnered my brother and me together in our work for Him. As Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, ‘Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed’” (NLT).
Written by Valerie Dyke
Becoming a Part of the Solution: Reconnecting Incarcerated Youth with Society
Economic stability. Family support. Proper education. Truths about Christianity. Skills training. Exercise. Psychological support. These are some of the solutions that Haggai leaders and brother-sister duo Maureen Malatjie and Sipho Kubayi want to bring to the incarcerated youth in their country.
In June 2022, more than 42,000 youth were incarcerated in correctional facilities across South Africa.* Like other young people throughout the world, South African youth often fall prey to drugs, alcohol, bullying, violence, gangs, and other types of peer pressure. Unfortunately, these problems often lead to criminal behaviors. Between April 2018 and March 2019, 736 of the 21,022 murders in South Africa were committed by children.
South African studies have shown that higher rates of poverty coupled with lower rates of education equal a higher probability for incarceration. The lack of resources and options for incarcerated youth often leads to a perpetual cycle of imprisonment. On average, 68% of incarcerated 18-year-olds return to prison, versus 26% of those 45 and older. What can be done to help the youth caught in this pattern? Maureen feels the Lord has called her to be part of the solution. “While the youth are in a correctional facility, this should be a time of rehabilitation for them,” she says. “In order for the recidivism rate to decrease, we must educate these children, including teaching them about the Lord.
“And as they are released, we must continue to support them, helping them restore the relationship with their community. Part of this is tackling the labels and shame now associated with them. We want them to rejoin society as productive citizens.”
During her Haggai Leader Experience in June 2019, the Lord revealed this new ministry to Maureen. By September of that same year, Maureen was actively involved in working with incarcerated youth at a local correctional facility.
Maureen and Sipho along with another pastor and two sisters — a social worker and a psychologist — have partnered together in this ministry. They host evangelistic sessions and share the love of Jesus with criminal offenders. Maureen says, “Seeing many of them receive Christ has been the most fulfilling experience. So far, I have bought over 50 Bibles to ensure any who do not have a Bible are given one. We encourage them to study the Word of God, and we have corporate prayer together.”
She explains, “By the grace of God, we reconnect offenders who have been disowned by their families. We keep in touch with them after they are released to connect them with churches in their areas to ensure they sustain what they learned about Jesus while incarcerated.”
Partnering with local schools is another passion for the siblings. They invite the juvenile offenders to the schools or have the students visit the correctional facility to learn about societal challenges, such as drug and alcohol abuse, bullying, and peer pressure. The incarcerated young people share personal stories about how the Lord has transformed their lives.
Maureen sums it up best when she says, “God is gracious to have partnered my brother and me together in our work for Him. As Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, ‘Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed’” (NLT).
Written by Valerie Dyke
Becoming a Part of the Solution: Reconnecting Incarcerated Youth with Society
Economic stability. Family support. Proper education. Truths about Christianity. Skills training. Exercise. Psychological support. These are some of the solutions that Haggai leaders and brother-sister duo Maureen Malatjie and Sipho Kubayi want to bring to the incarcerated youth in their country.
In June 2022, more than 42,000 youth were incarcerated in correctional facilities across South Africa.* Like other young people throughout the world, South African youth often fall prey to drugs, alcohol, bullying, violence, gangs, and other types of peer pressure. Unfortunately, these problems often lead to criminal behaviors. Between April 2018 and March 2019, 736 of the 21,022 murders in South Africa were committed by children.
South African studies have shown that higher rates of poverty coupled with lower rates of education equal a higher probability for incarceration. The lack of resources and options for incarcerated youth often leads to a perpetual cycle of imprisonment. On average, 68% of incarcerated 18-year-olds return to prison, versus 26% of those 45 and older. What can be done to help the youth caught in this pattern? Maureen feels the Lord has called her to be part of the solution. “While the youth are in a correctional facility, this should be a time of rehabilitation for them,” she says. “In order for the recidivism rate to decrease, we must educate these children, including teaching them about the Lord.
“And as they are released, we must continue to support them, helping them restore the relationship with their community. Part of this is tackling the labels and shame now associated with them. We want them to rejoin society as productive citizens.”
During her Haggai Leader Experience in June 2019, the Lord revealed this new ministry to Maureen. By September of that same year, Maureen was actively involved in working with incarcerated youth at a local correctional facility.
Maureen and Sipho along with another pastor and two sisters — a social worker and a psychologist — have partnered together in this ministry. They host evangelistic sessions and share the love of Jesus with criminal offenders. Maureen says, “Seeing many of them receive Christ has been the most fulfilling experience. So far, I have bought over 50 Bibles to ensure any who do not have a Bible are given one. We encourage them to study the Word of God, and we have corporate prayer together.”
She explains, “By the grace of God, we reconnect offenders who have been disowned by their families. We keep in touch with them after they are released to connect them with churches in their areas to ensure they sustain what they learned about Jesus while incarcerated.”
Partnering with local schools is another passion for the siblings. They invite the juvenile offenders to the schools or have the students visit the correctional facility to learn about societal challenges, such as drug and alcohol abuse, bullying, and peer pressure. The incarcerated young people share personal stories about how the Lord has transformed their lives.
Maureen sums it up best when she says, “God is gracious to have partnered my brother and me together in our work for Him. As Ecclesiastes 4:9 says, ‘Two people are better off than one, for they can help each other succeed’” (NLT).
Written by Valerie Dyke
