adminAshley Mujoma
FIFTEEN Chikurubi inmates and three prison wardens were yesterday conferred with certificates after completing courses in Nursery, Seedling, Orchard Management and Production.
TelOne acting managing director, Engineer Lawrence Nkala, said the 15 inmates (10 males and five females) were drawn from the Chikurubi Farm Prison and the Chikurubi Female Prison.
“Indeed, it is pleasing to note the effort to have a gender balance in the participants for inmates as well as officers.
“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.
“It is indeed a plus for us as TelOne as this programme has enabled us to play a meaningful role and impact this usually forgotten prison community,” he said. Engeer Nkala said TelOne spent about US$20 000 on the programme and the company remains committed to seeing it growing from strength-to-strength in years to come.
“Under this programme, we have been supporting the consolidation of the nursery project, seeing the facility producing about 60 000 seedlings this year.
“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.
“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 programme informed by Sustainable Development Goal 13 on Climate Action.
“As such, today’s festivities coincide with our belated National Tree Planting Day Commemorations, which has seen us taking time to plant trees at the beginning of this event.”
Online Reporter