Zonderwater is a maximum security prison located in Cullinan, South Africa.
It houses 3,000 inmates, 1688 of which are maximum offenders,
and 476 of which are serving life sentences.
It is known as one of the most progressive prisons
in South Africa.
When I was outside before I was arrested,
and then awaiting trial, I was always focused outward.
I was worried what other people were thinking of me, I was…
running around trying to impress others all the time.
I was wearing masks the whole time.
Reality is that I was distracted,
mentally and physically,
due to this thought that people with money,
they live good life.
So, I was distracted and desperated for money, of course.
My life before I came to prison, I thought I was living well…
but not realizing that I’m lying to myself.
Because I was somebody who was ruthless, who was heartless.
It was hard.
The first time I arrived here, it was made very much difficult for me,
especially to accept the situation at which I was,
after I had been sentenced.
It’s a bit hard, because…
it’s a place where I…
I first knew what prison is, with it.
And…
It was nerve-racking.
Life in Zonderwater before Peace Education was tough for me.
Since 2009, the Peace Education Program
has been made available to inmates at Zonderwater Prison.
I used to see inmates behaving in a bad way.
But some others, I encouraged them to do the program,
after me, after I’ve seen the first piece of transformation,
after doing the Peace Education Program.
So I encouraged them to do the program.
So after telling them, some of them,
I can see that indeed, even the environment inside,
it is changing for the better.
It’s so amazing and wonderful to see changes in offenders.
Also the influence it has on officials.
Sometimes we don’t see the value of these programs to offenders,
but when we see them
confess the good that it has done for them, it makes it wonderful.
I was like a person who don’t talk.
I was like, you know,
I was ashamed to talk to people, because of what I did.
But since I’ve done this wonderful program,
the Peace Education, I’m good.
Now I know, I know myself.
For the first time in my life, I started looking at myself,
accepting myself and actually loving myself.
And that made a huge difference in my life.
It changed my whole outlook.
Since I started to attend the peace talks, it has been to me
like something has opened in my life.
Because I started to realize that I was stuck in the past.
How did the court, the judge judged me…
the community I’m coming from… all those things.
And I thought maybe, it looks as if my life has been taken away.
But since I started to do Peace Education Program,
I started to realize that,
“No. Nobody ever take my life away, or my peace away.”
The most important thing is, I must enjoy my life.
There’s a difference between somebody who attended this program and who didn’t.
You see the way they behave.
They’re more calm. They think through before they react.
While somebody who hasn’t done the program,
immediately when we see them,
they’re assuming everything is wrong with them.
So, there is an impact that we see
when we are speaking to an offender who has attended the Peace Program,
compared to an offender who hasn’t done it.
The first moment I knew about this Peace Education Program,
I realized that I indeed found myself.
I found who I am.
I didn’t know that this peace that they were talking about,
I was having it already in my heart.
But I was ignoring it. The problem is I was ignoring it.
The knowledge I have gained behind bars,
it’s more than…
it’s far much greater than the time I’m spending behind bars.
I’ve learned a lot.
I’ve gained knowledge about my inner self.
And it’s amazing to know who you are.
Because, if I knew that before, I wouldn’t be here.
For one to find peace, it’s all about…
one to find it within himself.
It is priceless. It requires not any circumstance to be paid.
No, it’s something that one has to search within himself.
With it, that’s where joy and happiness is.
We definitely all need joy.
And we love to have happiness. We love freedom.
So, at this moment, I have gained so much freedom,
when I’m still in the bondage.
So, with this, I have gain a lot.
Remember, the more offenders are engaged in it,
there are benefits for both themselves as individual and the department.
Because, that is about transformation. That’s about change.
So, we want more offenders to participate.
And we want more offenders to go out.
Because, remember, some of these issues,
they’re from outside.
They came in being angry because of the outside environment.
So, for them to find inner peace in the center, it’s a benefit for us.
It’s not an ideal situation.
But at least, they are the ones to go out and say,
“Guys, you don’t need to be in prison to learn about peace.
“It’s something you can do naturally, yourself.”
And so, it is very much imperative that we continue with this program.
It’s so exciting! And I can’t wait to meet Prem Rawat.
As a matter of fact, from the time I have heard
that Prem Rawat will visit us,
I couldn’t sleep till the day he’s coming, today.
Wow! Please, I want to meet Prem Rawat, of course.
This is my first time. And, I’m happy.
I’m very happy to see that man,
to see that international humanitarian, to see that Peace Ambassador.
I can’t wait to see him.
It was an amazing feeling.
He reminded us that we’re human, and we have good inside.
Mr. Rawat,
since I’ve been attending these programs
a great deal,
I mean, now they set me free.
The facilitators
that have worked with me can tell you
that I’ve been an angry man when I came to this Center.
But after going through this course,
I’ve realized that
I was blaming everybody except myself.
And I needed to forgive myself,
in order for me to find peace within myself.
And in the same breath, what I also like to say is that,
we and the officials, we are in this together.
I would like to ask from you,
isn’t it also of value
if our officials can also go through this course?
My name is Andries.
Mr. Rawat, I would like to commend you
about the job that you’re doing.
I’ve attended this program from May up to July.
And it has made me look at life
in a different perspective.
Because we are a changed lot,
we know what we are living for.
You cannot change my past,
but you can help me shape my future.
Thank you.
Mr. Prem,
I’ve got plenty of questions, but I’ll try to stick on three.
First question, this power, this energy, the peace that is within us,
I’d just like you to tell me, where is it coming from?
Because I’ve learned from the Words of Peace program
that we are born with it.
So, who gave us this power source that’s within us?
The second question is,
I’ve been trying to ask myself, “Who am I?”
I’ve got so many answers
until I got even confused, really, who am I.
Because most people you ask, “Who are you?”
will tell you, he’s a lawyer, “I’m a head of prison.”
“I’m an engineer.” “I’m a millionaire,”
or anyhow, they will answer me.
So, maybe if you honor me and tell me, who is Mr. Prem Rawat?
How do you define yourself, if I would ask you, “Who are you?”
Let me just stick to those two.
– Thank you. – Oh, thank you!
Greetings to everybody.
I would like to emphasize a few more things,
Mr. Prem Rawat,
since I’ve been facilitating these programs since 2010.
You have forgotten to mention one more thing.
That, this is not all about a religion…
that is: Christianity, Islam, Hinduism, and so forth.
So, people want that to be clarified.
Because, one might take this message otherwise.
Thank you, Mr. Prem Rawat.
There is something special today.
Remember, each event has a feedback.
But it is a different way.
We had a dance. People are happy for five minutes.
But for somebody to say, “I found peace,” it’s a long thing.
You can carry it forever.
So, for somebody to say,
“I understand, why I behave the way I behave.
“But now, I am behaving differently,”
it gives joy, like I said. It also assists us as officials,
because the way we interact with them
when we see the change,
it also make us to see them in a very positive way.
And assists in terms of maintaining peace and order in the center.
So it is a different environment.
It was indeed a different event, compared to the other ones we did.
Others, they are meant just to pass through.
But this one, I think they are holding dearly,
because it’s a permanent thing.
For one to find himself and understand what peace is all about,
I think we did achieve something.
I would like to thank himself, Mr. Prem Rawat, for changing our lives.
You know, coming here in Zonderwater maximum prison,
it really changed peoples’ life a lot.
Being here, he is the best.
Being here, he changed us to the better.
Being here, he helped us.
To date, 950 people have been through the Peace Education Program
at Zonderwater.
4 inmates from the correctional facility have been trained as facilitators
and are now running the program themselves.
Peace Education Programs are now running
in more than 125 correctional facilities worldwide.