Since 1998, brothers have been working in prison ministry in Kenya, in Fr Grol’s Welfare Project (formerly known as Fr Grol’s Welfare Trust). The team mobilises funds and resources that enable them to provide training to a number of prisoners, as well as providing recreational facilities, books, magazines, glasses, volleyballs, footballs, tools, clothes, shoes, medicine, and counselling. These facilities brought a different atmosphere to the Kenyan prisons they visit.
From the moment the organisation was founded, Brother Linus Schoutsen, a Dutch missionary in Kenya, was the driving force behind it. Unfortunately, he had to return to the Netherlands for health reasons in 2022. He is still missed in Kenya, both by the staff of Fr Grol’s Welfare Project and by the prisoners. Nevertheless, the organisation’s work is being courageously continued by the current staff members. Currently there are two brothers involved, Br. Francis Otieno Odoyo and Br. Paul Orobi.
“Our work continues, despite the decline in donors who make our work possible”, says Br. Paul Orobi, one of the staff members. “Nowadays we changed the system. We don’t travel a lot to visit each prison, but we encourage the prisons’ management to visit us in our community. This has really picked up well. They come to collect tools, clothes and shoes, magazines and any other donation we have like toiletries, soap just to mention a few.” Br. Paul Orobi does visit prisons outside Nairobi from time to time, and then compiles a report concerning their needs.
Book launch
Last year Fr Grol’s Welfare Project helped one of the ex-prisoners launch her book, which she wrote while in prison: ‘Between Darkness and Death in Prison’ by Tabitha Mwaura. Fr Grol’s Welfare Project also helped her start a training project to help the children of women who are in prison, to acquire knitting and tailoring skills.
Aftercare
Fr Grol’s Welfare Project also offers vocational training courses within the prison walls, to prepare inmates for life outside prison. Former prisoners are supported in an aftercare program. With the experience gained and with tools provided via the project, they can build a different and better life for themselves. “We have some, who are doing well in carpentry, tailoring, masonry, and barber shops just to mention a few”, says Br. Paul. “In our aftercare program, welfare officers follow ex-prisoners wherever they put up, to see how they are progressing. We do have a lot of successful stories, and the prison authority and prisoners are happy and grateful we are there for them.”
Support
Brother Paul Orobi explains how difficult it is sometimes, to keep the project running. “We don’t have a lot of funds, so we are always looking for new donors to assist us in this noble work.” They are therefore very grateful for the assistance provided by Tools to Work from The Netherlands. In July 2025, they expect to receive another shipment of tools. Also some local companies and organizations support the project. The White Fathers donate magazines every month, and Twiga Stationaries provides exercise books. The Centrale Humanitaire Médico-Pharmaceutique (CHMP), an organization in health logistics and door-to-door supply chain solutions to humanitarian organizations, provides valuable medicines. But also the local society contributes: parishioners bring in soap, shoes and clothes for the inmates. Schools donate second hand story books and text books to supply to prison, and chalks and pens.
Prisoners are people too
The situation of prisoners in Kenya is often miserable. After release, it is difficult to return to society once you have a “prison stigma”. Father Grol’s Welfare Project focuses on this group of “lost” people.
