At 51, Oswald Dawkins feels as if he is being given a new lease on life, after being released from prison two and a half months ago.

Having been locked away for 29 years in the Arthur Kill Correctional facility in New York, United States, the transition to a Jamaican society, which looks down on deportees, has been a challenging one.

"It has been a challenging time; I am still observing (my surroun-dings). I am trying to stay out of the deportee label; I know there is a label and people expect you to act that way, but I am trying not to," he said.

Getting help from furi

Dawkins is one of several men who have been helped by the Family Unification and Resettlement Initiative (FURI) a non-profit organisation which assists in the resettlement and rehabilitation of persons who have been deported from the US.

Since the establishment of the organisation in 2006, more than 200 individuals have been assisted by the programme which offers individual and group counselling, career counselling, and assistance in procuring government identification for its clients.

The group has also embarked upon a new venture with the opening of a 100-acre farm in St Thomas six months ago, where deportees can go and work.

Reuben Phillips, CEO of FURI, said the farm had various crops such as coconut, nutmeg, peppers, red peas and tomatoes.

"The farm is just in the develop-ment phase. However, we have sold goods to the local markets of Kingston and St Thomas," said Phillips. The farm is a joint venture between FURI, Food For the Poor, and the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Humanitarian Services.

Byron Gillespie, 46, has made that farm his home after being released from prison locally late last year. Before that, Gillespie was deported from the US in 2001, but became a statistic of recidivism. After being released from prison in Jamaica more than six months ago, Gillespie said he went to FURI to get assistance.

Back on his feet

"They helped me out with some food and care packages. During that time, they launched the farming project and, even though I am inexperienced, I moved out there and that is my home."

Gillespie, who lost his house and ran into several difficulties while incarcerated, is thankful for the help of FURI despite his difficulties.

"The adjustment has been challenging as I had no prior knowledge of farming, but it has interested me," he said.