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Latwell Nyangu
IN a ground-breaking initiative aimed at rehabilitation and skills development, 130 inmates from the Harare Metropolitan Province have graduated from a piggery training programme.
The programme has not only provided them with practical knowledge but also offered them a chance to contribute positively to society upon their release.
Training facilitator, Nicholas ‘Fulcrum’ Karikoga, of Fulcrum Piggery, said his desire is to empower the inmates and help them with skills, which they can use when they are released.
“It is my dream to help inmates and those outside prison to learn various aspects of piggery management, including feeding techniques, breeding practices, health maintenance and overall farm management.
“The courses are tailored to provide comprehensive training that will enable the inmates to pursue careers in agriculture, post-incarceration.
“I am impressed that many of them have expressed newly-found confidence in their abilities and are eager to apply their newly-acquired skills in practical settings.
“For some, this experience has served as a turning point in their lives, offering them hope for a better future outside the confines of prison walls.”
Karikoga said the initiative is being accepted by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS).
“Since I started, the authorities are accepting the programme very well.
“We had 130 graduates, 20 were outsiders, 40 were prison officers, while the remaining were inmates.
“We had Harare Province, Harare Prison, and Chikurubi Maximum Prison.
“Of the graduates, 10 were female. We also had some prizes that were given to the best performers courtesy of Vocx Solar Energy.
“The prizes will be handed over next Tuesday and I am impressed that the prisoners and the authorities are having time to learn together,” he said.
Bongani Ndlovu
Mathew Masinge