"Here they have the opportunity to feel valued, to discover themselves as a ‘resource’" explains Fr Galia "and to experience a legal, serene life. For everyone there is an educational project that includes volunteering and work, fundamental for the liberation of the person."
These activities are carried out thanks to the Salesian Cooperative "Differenze", associated with "Salesians for Social APS", with 19 employees of whom 14 come from the world of detention. Among these is Mustafa (a fictitious name) who has been serving his sentence for a few months. "This path made me look to the future, it helped me integrate. I've changed, proud of myself. I found people who showed me the right way."
In the community you live like a family, also thanks to the 24-hour presence of the Poor Sisters from Bergamo. A diocesan work "the result of a combination of charisms" Fr Galia continues "in a prophetic innovation in which the congregations understand that they must join forces." The paths vary depending on the length of the sentence, but at the base there is always the family spirit and being a 'mixed' community, in which gender equality, interculturalism, and ecumenical spirit grow, where prayer becomes an opportunity for dialogue and encounter.
Silvia (a fictitious name) today lives with her children, works. She met Fr Galia for the first time a decade ago, in prison: "In addition to my freedom I had lost my identity: thanks to listening I began taking an important direction." About six years ago, she arrived in the Community. She says: "I cleaned, I helped cook, what you do in a house. For me it was a new beginning: the opportunity to rebuild relationships, to regain intimacy with my children. I regained security, dignity, the normality that had been taken away from me. Helping the sisters in the kitchen is a way to reciprocate the help received. I still feel important there today.”
Enzo and Agim (fictitious names), young inmates who had committed crimes when they were minors, some years ago began working on the digitization of the archives of the former Asinara National Park prison. Some time ago for both, the Community became “home”. “I'm trying to reciprocate the trust given me by making myself useful for others. I grew up without references, here I understood the value of the family" says Enzo.
"I feel free, at least at this time of day," says Agim. Here there are no bars, no keys, we do not receive orders, but responsibilities. Boys from schools and parishes come to visit us and we go to them: when someone tells his own story it means that he has transformed his suffering into something good. Let young people understand that mistakes are paid for, but that if you want and thanks to the right people, from prison, you can be better after release."
The community works together with the External Criminal Enforcement Office, the Sassari Surveillance Court, and the prison, not only the one in Bancali; in addition, it is part of the Regional Coordination of the communities (8 in all) involved in welcoming people in detention, supported by the Region: "An added value to make an impact at the political level, but also for ourselves" declares Fr Galia. Guaranteeing the activity of the community there is also the Church in Sassari, thanks to the 8×1000 and self sustenance, for example with the sale of products grown in the garden, where some of the inmates carry out their four hours of volunteering every afternoon. Others accompany school children on visits to the educational farm. Activities aimed at caring for nature and animals, but also at teaching a job, thanks to the support of tutors and vocational training courses.
Finally, just as Don Bosco did, the programme also includes moments and experiences of community sharing outdoors and outside the city and there is even the participation of the community in the Jubilee of Prisoners next year, on 14 December 2025, in Rome.
