BY VEENA RAO
Atlanta, GA, August 13, 2024: Cyril Prabhu’s life took a dramatic turn in 1994 when he had a harrowing encounter with robbers in Union City, California. Moments after he purchased a computer, Prabhu was ambushed by armed men who tied him up and threatened his life. The terrifying experience left him shaken and contemplating his future in the United States. Ultimately, this very incident became a turning point in his life; one that deepened his faith and commitment to helping break the cycle of generational incarceration, eventually leading to the founding of Proverbs226.
Named after the biblical proverb that encourages the proper upbringing of children, Proverbs226 is a beacon of hope for children at risk of falling into the criminal justice system. With an ambitious goal of saving one million children from prison and instead sending them to college, Proverbs226 offers mentorship, educational support, and family-strengthening programs. At the core of its mission is a powerful message of forgiveness and redemption. One of the most moving examples is the act of incarcerated fathers washing their children’s feet—a symbolic gesture of asking for forgiveness that, Prabhu says, has had a deep impact on the lives of both fathers and children.
Prabhu’s journey from a data miner in the corporate world to a compassionate leader, working tirelessly to reunite families and provide educational opportunities to those in need, is a story of an unwavering belief in the power of forgiveness.
Prabhu was recently in Atlanta for the screening of his movie, Breaking the Cycle, at the Global Mall, where he spoke about the impact of his work and the importance of his mission.
NRI Pulse caught up with the activist before the screening of the movie.
Tell us about your story and what led you to start Proverbs226.
When I first came to the United States from India, like many other immigrants, I was excited to start a new chapter in my life. One of the first major things I wanted was a computer, a symbol of the future I was looking forward to in this new country. But things took a dark turn. When I went to pick up the computer from a store in Union City, Oakland, I found myself in a life-threatening situation. I was ambushed by robbers, and the whole experience left me shaken to the core. The incident was even reported in the local newspaper the next day, naming me as a resident of Union City—a small area with just a few streets.
The fear and uncertainty that followed made me seriously question my decision to stay in America. I even considered going back to India, but the cost of a ticket home was just too high.
During this time, I started going to church and talking to people about what had happened. Every conversation seemed to come back to the idea of forgiveness—something I resisted at first. My initial reaction was anger, and I felt like those who had wronged me deserved to be punished.
But as I started researching more about the guys who had attacked me, I accidentally uncovered how broken the prison system is in this country. The numbers were staggering. The U.S. has only 5% of the world’s population, but it contributes 25% of the world’s incarcerated population. That was shocking to me.
I began researching more and found a strong correlation between the absence of fathers in the home and the incarceration rates among African American and Hispanic communities. It became clear to me that the real issue wasn’t about race but the lack of male role models in these communities.
How did this realization evolve into the founding of Proverbs226?
By 2005, I had moved from California to Charlotte, North Carolina, as part of Bank of America’s acquisition of NationsBank. I was still working in data mining but felt a calling to address the issues I had uncovered. For seven years, I went from church to church, nonprofit to nonprofit, trying to share my findings and ideas. No one listened.
In 2012, I decided to approach the prison system directly. I went to a prison and told them I wanted to help prevent the children of inmates from ending up in prison themselves. The statistics were alarming: 70 to 82% of children with incarcerated parents end up in prison. I wanted to stop that cycle.
I started small, working with just 20 inmates. I went to the prison weekly, trying to understand the issues and create a model that would work. One of the key elements was helping these fathers reconnect with their children. We began by allowing the fathers to pack school supplies for their kids, hoping to mend those broken relationships. But the first year, out of 108 bags we packed, only four children showed up. It was disheartening, but I didn’t give up.
What was the turning point for Proverbs226?
In March 2013, I took a group of 18 children into the prison and asked their fathers to get on their knees, wash their children’s feet, and ask for forgiveness. It was a powerful moment, both for the fathers and the children. Twelve years have passed since that first group, and none of those men have returned to prison. That success was not just an anomaly. Over the last twelve years, 815 men who have participated in this program have been released, and only 33 have returned to prison. This is a stark contrast to the national recidivism rate of 70%.
This message of reconciliation and forgiveness began to spread within the prison system, and it caught the attention of then-Governor Nikki Haley of South Carolina. She called me to her office to ask what I was doing in her state’s prisons. This led to the expansion of Proverbs2:66 into multiple facilities across South Carolina and beyond.
Can you tell us about the educational aspect of your program?
Education is another crucial part of breaking the cycle of incarceration. There is a strong correlation between education and crime rates, with 75% of high school dropouts ending up in prison. I realized that in order to keep these kids out of prison, we needed to ensure they had access to education.
In the beginning, it was challenging. Out of 59 children, we were only able to find a few who were even eligible to go to college. But over time, we’ve made progress. As of this morning, we have 106 kids in college or technical trade schools. We’re now in 220 prisons and working with 17,000 children. In the next few years, we plan to send another 2,000 kids to college.
Could you elaborate on your initiative to transform prisons into educational institutions, and what inspired this innovative approach?
Yes, the state of North Carolina finally transferred a closed-down prison to me in October 2023. I’m currently transforming that prison into a trade school. The grand opening is set for August 24, 2024. My vision is to provide education and technical training to these children, helping them build a future outside of the prison system.
What are your plans for Proverbs226?
The work is far from over. More states are now transferring their closed-down prisons to me, and I plan to continue expanding this initiative across the country. My goal is to spread this message of forgiveness and education to all 50 states. Georgia has remained steady with a prison population of around 52,000, and I’m determined to bring Proverbs226 to the state and help reduce those numbers.
It is my plan to use a model that has already proven successful in northern South Carolina. My mission is clear: to prevent a million children from entering the prison system. Surprisingly, the COVID-19 pandemic played an unexpected role in facilitating this mission. With in-person visits restricted during the pandemic, prisons across the country adopted video visits using tablets provided by a company called Wire Path. These tablets, now used by 700,000 inmates, have become a powerful tool for our cause. By embedding our movie, Breaking the Cycle, into these tablets, we’ve been able to reach inmates directly. In one prison, 70% of the fathers who watched the movie signed up their children for the Proverbs226 program. We’re now expanding this approach across Georgia, aiming to replicate this success on a larger scale without the need for in-person advocacy.
In the meantime, we’ve also produced a short film that won Best Short Film in the Christian community. Now, we’re working on turning it into a full-length movie that will showcase not only my journey but also the stories of the children and families we’ve touched. The movie will culminate with the opening of our first trade school, symbolizing the new beginnings we’re trying to create for these kids.
What does Proverbs226 mean?
The name comes from Proverbs22:6 in the Bible, which says, “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.” This verse resonates deeply with our mission. The idea is that if you shape a child’s identity and values early on, they will carry those lessons throughout their life.
It’s clear you have a strong faith that guides your work. How has that influenced your approach to these issues?
My faith is the cornerstone of everything I do. It’s what helped me overcome my own struggles and find forgiveness, and it’s the message I want to share with others. The idea of washing the feet of the children was inspired by my own journey of learning to forgive. It’s a symbolic act that has profound effects on both the fathers and their children.
I believe that when we can mend these broken relationships and provide these kids with the education and support they need, we can break the cycle of incarceration for good.
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To further amplify this message, Cyril Prabhu has embarked on “The Breakthrough Tour,” which launched on July 1, 2024. This nationwide journey aims to raise awareness and inspire change through engagements with local churches, universities, corporations, and media outlets. The tour seeks to create a nationwide movement that mobilizes a network of advocates to make a real, lasting difference in the fight against generational incarceration.
