in Tarnos, the Emmaüs Baudonne farm helps women prisoners find their place in society

It is a space between prison and regained freedom. The Emmaüs Baudonne farm, located at Tarnos (Landes), has been welcoming women for a year during the last months of their detention. They are four to benefit from the project. Among them is Aïsha, a 34-year-old Guyanese. Every day, she works with market gardeners, and grows her own vegetables. This return to the land is accompanied by a salary, which is paid to him every month. This money is necessary to successfully regain an independent life.

“A job, housing and having self-confidence… It’s important, because if you stay for months and months, in the end you don’t even want to communicate with other people anymore because you feel excluded“Aisha says. Here, women are no longer considered prisoners, but residents. They are supported by volunteers. Gabi Mouesca, a former Basque prisoner, founded this farm. He himself spent 17 years in detention. So he knows that when you get out, you have to relearn everything.”These are often paths of multiple violence, people who have fallen through the cracks of what society can offer. For some, it is truly their first chance to find their rightful place in society., explains the director.