Cape Town - Spending a day in prison was a nightmare and something that he would never want to experience again.
But Israel Kulinga, imprisoned two years ago for not renewing his asylum permit, used the experience to inspire others through storytelling.
Kulinga, 34, from Zambia, published four books, and eight which have been translated in different languages, during his six-month incarceration.
“I needed to do something to keep me busy and I found that writing was the only way I could ease the stress."
“Even though it was (my) second time of being in prison for the same reason, it was still a fearsome experience for me, especially seeing how the people were treated inside the cells.
“It was also sad to see how immigrants were beaten and how some prison guards would be caught in some fights. I wanted to express my feelings and, by doing that, God transformed my darkness into light,” he said.
Books he has published include The Secret of the Healing Code, which touches on his life in prison; Lisa and Terry, which aims to motivate and encourage youngsters about life; and Nema, a love story of a woman who has experienced hardships.
In terms of his hopes for the future, Kulinga said he would like to see his passion for storytelling grow, and to get the support from his fellow Zambian citizens.
“I believe that I have found my path. All that I need to do is to create an empire. A message I would like to share with people is that the few copies that they may see now will change into a thousand copies one day,” he said.
Kulinga was released from prison in June and, despite being unemployed, he intends to write more books.