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In the heart of the Rhodope mountains, approximately 20 minutes from the nearest town, lies the Smolyan prison, home to a unique rehabilitation project that's turning heads across Bulgaria. The "Gerzovitsa" dairy, located within the prison's walls, is a brainchild of former prison director Hristo Solakov, who envisioned a self-sustaining operation that would produce food in-house while helping prisoners prepare for life after incarceration.
The dairy is renowned for producing some of Bulgaria's most sought-after cheese and yogurt, all made without the use of artificial preservatives or additives. Selected inmates tend to herds of goats and cows, and they are involved in the entire process, from animal care to cheese production. This hands-on experience not only provides inmates with useful skills but also contributes to sentence reductions and early release opportunities.
Georgi Filyanov, a former inmate at Smolyan prison, is one such individual who benefited from the program. Filyanov, who was handed a two-and-a-half-year jail sentence for drug dealing, is now a part of the dairy operation, where he helps make traditional feta-like cheese. Filyanov has been released early after having his sentence reduced by prison labor.
Prisoner Pavel, who declined to give his surname, is responsible for looking after the herd of about 100 goats that graze on a mountain meadow near the prison, where the air is thick with the scent of thyme. Running away from the prison has never crossed Pavel's mind, despite the meadow being close to the border with Greece.
Prisoner Ivan Patazov, 31, is tasked with cutting, packaging, and labelling cheese at the dairy. Production at the dairy has not been able to keep up with demand, a testament to the high quality of the products. About half of the dairy production is destined for other Bulgarian jails, while the rest is sold at markets and grocery shops across the country. A few specialty stores also sell various types of cheese and yogurt from Smolyan prison.
Solakov, the former prison director, jokes that in the "old days," Bulgarian partisans robbed dairies, but now the dairy is located inside the prison. The Smolyan prison dairy aims to expand and start producing kashkaval cheese, a popular Bulgarian cheese, in the near future. This expansion will provide more opportunities for inmates to learn new skills and contribute to the prison's rehabilitation efforts.
The dairy is more than just a source of income for the prison; it's a vital part of the inmates' rehabilitation journey. By providing them with practical skills and the opportunity to earn early release, the dairy helps prisoners reintegrate into society and lead productive lives upon their release. This unique initiative is a shining example of how prisons can be transformed into places of rehabilitation and growth.
- The unique dairy within Smolyan prison, which produces high-quality cheese and yogurt, has gained recognition in both Bulgaria's science and health-and-wellness fields for its focus on providing prisoners with practical skills and reducing reoffending rates.
- As part of the prison's lifestyle and home-and-garden initiatives, former inmate Georgi Filyanov now participates in cooking traditional feta-like cheese at the dairy, showcasing the food-and-drink industry's potential to positively impact the lives of prisoners.
- To further extend its impact, the Smolyan prison dairy plans to delve into science, particularly in producing kashkaval cheese, which will create additional opportunities for inmate growth and learning, thereby promoting a forward-thinking approach to news and lifestyle transformation.
