Few people would choose to spend their holiday in a Zimbabwean prison.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
At the end of August, while journeying around the land of his birth, Jericho Nyatoro will spend two days inside the country's main maximum security jail.
Having spent much of his career inside prisons as a chaplain, including in Junee, has impressed him with the need to understand the struggles of Chikurubi's incarcerated masses.
"I asked my friend from my church in Zimbabwe to arrange a time for me to go visit the prison because I want to see what the chaplaincy is like there," Mr Nyatoro said.
Expecting his request to be met with resistance from the facility, instead, Mr Nyatoro was not only greeted with permission but with a cry for assistance.
"They asked me for help to get the things they need in there. In a nutshell, they need everything," he said.
"In particular, for women, they need sanitary products. There are 150 women in maximum security, so I need 150 packs, which cost about $15 Australian each."
Related:
In order to achieve his purpose, Mr Nyatoro has begun fundraising in the hopes of raising up to $5000 before his August 29th departure.
But, the money will not only go towards meeting the requirements of the prison's female population.
Much of it will pay for food and supplies for the many on the inside who are in desperate need.
"They asked me for things for the children, and I said, 'what are children doing in a prison like this?' The women who go in pregnant, they give birth and are allowed to stay with their children until they are about seven years old," he said.
"They are born incarcerated and their mothers have no resources to buy toys or colouring pencils or anything. All they know are the walls."
The son of Baptist pastors, Mr Nyatoro left Zimbabwe in 2000 to pursue a new life abroad.
He first moved to America to attend seminary, but for the past seven years, he has been living and working in Australia, making his home in the Riverina.
Despite his formative years spent in Zimbabwe, his preparation to return this month has already proved an enlightening experience.
Although it is the country of his birth and formative years, Mr Nyatoro said the preparation for his return has been eye-opening.
"This was the lightbulb for me, I do not know what the need looks like in my home country," he said.
"I have already heard sad, sad stories but I need to see it myself, so I have to go to prison."
To support his humanitarian efforts, Mr Nyatoro has set up a crowdfunder page.