Former convicts from Kragujevac thought about committing a crime again. But then, they started their own business (PHOTO)

A group of former convicts from Kragujevac will soon open a bakery, to provide themselves with a workplace, to step out of crime and to stop the magical circle of returning to prison.

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First, they established the association "After the rain", and they soon gathered 700 members and the fact that the lawyers, students, psychiatrists, ombudsman and the municipality are helping them is the proof how serious they are.  The purpose of the association is advisory assistance to those who get out of prison, but also the help - job and a regular wage.

Foto: Telegraf

Dusan Miric, a former convict and a president of the Association, explains that after serving the sentence they have almost no chances of getting a job.

There is a block at every step

Foto: Telegraf

- I understand that no one will hire us in a bank or in a market, but why do we need a confirmation that we were not sentenced to make furniture or bread. I can't earn for the alimony for my child, to support him as a father. No one will hire me, and the court is threatening me with prison if I don't pay. I know a man who is a father of three children, he was in prison for 15 years for fighting when he was young, and now he has a hard time finding work. He is desperate and he recently told me - Dule, I will "pun on a mask" again. He meant a disguise. The association helped him, with the assistance of the Social Welfare center, he received a small help, but enough to keep him out of the crime, and to protect the society. An acquaintance of mine wanted to start working as a taxi driver with the help of the family, but he was told that he can be the owner of a taxi service, but he cannot drive a taxi because he was in prison for more than 2 years. There is a block on every step - Miric explains the reasons for the joining of former convicts.

Foto: Telegraf

Stefan Davidovic (34) is one of them. He said at the beginning: "It's my own fault".

- But, it's my own fault for the past, not for the future. We are just looking for a chance, but how can we convince you that we changed if you don't give us a chance - a month, two, three. We are looking for a chance to try to be fair - Stefan explains.

Foto: Telegraf

They will make Vanilice cookies 

A mother of the former convict has given this chance to the association, the owner of the bakery in the center of the city. Seeing that it is a serious idea which has the support of institutions, this woman, who is no longer using it, gave it to the association to use it, so her son and the others could have a fair chance. Svetlana Zivkovic, the owner of the bakery, said that the contract has been signed and that she will pass her knowledge to everybody who wants to learn.

Foto: Telegraf

- Dusan, the president of the association is a baker, he and I will train everybody who is interested. They have space, machines, they only need to work. They will make the pastry, vanilice, coconut cubes, cookies with peanuts. They are very serious, they already found shops to sell their products. I am a mother of a convict, I know how hard it is and that is why I agreed to give them the shop and the equipment, rather than renting it. I believe in them - Svetlana said.

Dusam Miric said that they will be able to start in a few weeks and to produce first cookies. The problem is the starting money for flour, sugar, jam, cream.

Foto: Telegraf

- We need around 3.000 euros to begin so we are practically begging the businessmen and some organizations to help us, just to start. We already received a ton of flour, the help of Vlada Trifunovic and the organization "Humane heart of Sabac", which offered the help on their own. We went to a lot of people, we are calling someone every day, our future depends on that. This bakery will feed four families - Miric explains.

Foto: Telegraf

He said that he is not stopping at the bakery, they are already negotiation on building a greenhouse, and they already have the donors and people who will buy the vegetables. The greenhouse could bring two more workplaces. The former convict has neem working in Munich for the past 17 years, and he will donate the van to the association and they will start a moving business and hire even more people.

Foto: Telegraf

6 out of 10 repeats the crime 

- The association was founded mostly by returnees who performed crimes with a lot of years in prison. Those who get out of prison and don't know what to do can come to us, and we will go to the institutions. Some start drinking after prison, they become weak mentally, they start harassing the family and our goal is to direct them to the psychiatrist or to the Social Welfare center before they inflict harm to someone and they end up in prison again. To give a place to sleep for the homeless for a few weeks before they "put on a mask". We are helping the former convicts and on the other side the state, considering that 6 out of 10 repeats the crime when they get out of prison - explains Dusan Miric.

Foto: Telegraf

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(Telegraf.co.uk / Marija Raca)