Inmates get second chance
LETTICIA MAGOMBO
TelOne Zimbabwe in collaboration with the Friend of the Environment (FOTE) have given inmates added skills to ensure a smooth transition back into society.
Prisoners in Zimbabwe are often sidelined and offered little chances at rehabilitation leading to them re-entering the prison system soon after release.
Speaking at the Forestry and Nursery Management Inmate Training graduation ceremony this week, TelOne acting MD Lawrence Nkala commended the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) for making the training a possibility.
He said that the programme would have a positive impact on the lives of the inmates.
“We are positive that the programme has equipped our graduates with the knowledge and skills that will be useful as the inmates reintegrate into society after serving their respective sentences.”
The US$20 000 programme equips prisoners with skills in woodland establishment and management, management of fruit trees, budding and grafting, bee keeping and financial management.
The programme this year alone produced 60 000 seedlings through the nursery. Nkala believed that this was a clear indication of the potential of the program to become self – sustainable and generate income for the prison.
“TelOne will withdraw its quota for our own tree planting programmes and we are happy to support ZPCS in the commercialisation of the rest of the seedlings. Using our network, points of presence nationally and go to market capacity can be able to assist to push seedling sales not only to make the project self-sustaining but also to earn some income in the prisons.” Nkala said.
Seedling tree sales will earn the prison US$50 000 per annum.
20 000 seedlings are to be withdrawn from the nursery and will be distributed by TelOne to 200 schools across all provinces.
Nkala said that the push towards tree planting was motivated by the company’s need to aid in the nation’s fight for environmental preservation in light of climate change.
“The project comes from this deep conviction in our role as environmental stewards, which has seen environmental management standing out as a key pillar in our corporate social investment programming informed by Sustainable Development Goal 13 on climate action. “
The six-month training course ended with 15 inmates and 3 officers graduating, that is, 10 male inmates from Chikurubi Farm Prison and 5 inmates from Chikurubi Female Prison.
An inmate and graduate, Davison Makovere, said he had been grateful for the skills imparted on him but was saddened about his future outside of prison.
“Despite the rehabilitation we have undergone some employers out there have a tendency of discriminating us and also stigmatising us when we go to them as ex-inmates and that is our biggest outcry to the responsible authorities. We have got the skills but if I have skills and no job and no capital I will still be helpless. So, I pray for continued support in the form of employment or capital so that we can fully utilise these skills you have equipped us with for the maximum benefit of all parties,” Makovere said.
