*The name of the Sycamore Tree Project is based on the Biblical account of Zacchaeus, the corrupt tax collector in the time of Jesus. He climbed up a sycamore tree to see Jesus in Jericho and was forever changed.

Crime changes all who are affected by it. It not only harms the victims but also has consequences for wrongdoers.

 

The *Sycamore Tree Project helps offenders to put crime behind them, enabling positive change for all involved. It helps inmates to make a fresh start by harnessing the Biblical principles of responsibility, confession, repentance, forgiveness and reconciliation.

Mariëtte Fourie, a researcher at the NWU, explored the experiences of South African female offenders as part of her master’s study in positive psychology.

Mariëtte worked with 19 participants once a week for seven weeks, continuously adding strength-based activities. The photograph on the left shows the page before they started with this particular activity. After completing the task, the page is filled with the participants’ thoughts and ideas (right).

The power of gratitude and kindness

 

Mariëtte decided to do her research on the Sycamore Tree Project because she wanted to integrate the theory of positive psychology with the content that she taught inmates at a correctional centre in Gauteng.

 

Existing research shows that simple and intentional positive activities, known as strength-based activities, can increase people’s happiness and wellbeing. With this in mind, she asked the women to participate in various strength-based activities. These included acts of kindness, writing letters of gratitude and forgiveness, and being mindful and your best possible self.

 

As the inmates completed these tasks, Mariëtte helped them explore and describe their experiences. At the end of the project, she used the women’s personal narratives and large-group dialogue research to collect data.

 

Activities encourage positive change

 

Mariëtte found that the strength-based activities made a positive change in the lives of the women. “One woman said that participating in the activities made her realise she was there for a reason. Another said she felt she wanted to do the activities for most of the day because they had impact.”

 

Her study has already touched many beyond the walls of the correctional facility. An article on her work has been published in The International Journal of Restorative Justice and Mariëtte presented a paper on it at the African Positive Psychology Conference in April this year. She also appeared on the KykNET programme, Die Groot Ontbyt.

 

Choices have consequences

 

Mariëtte says she realised the importance of choices. “One wrong choice can result in a crime. The female inmates are there because of their choices but they have now chosen to make the best of their circumstances.”