Chronicle Editor
Sukulwenkosi Dube-Matutu, Chronicle Reporter
HIS eight-month stay at the Gwanda Prison saw inmate, Dumisani Ncube (37) acquire various life development skills which he says he will use to sustain his family upon being released in October.
Ncube, who was doing piece jobs as a gold panner in Filabusi District has received training in farming, welding, building, mechanics and detergent making.
He was sentenced to 11months imprisonment for theft. Ncube who spoke during a detergent making skills training programme at Gwanda Prison on Saturday said for many, imprisonment marked doom but for him the experience has been life changing.
The Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation in collaboration with Talent Innovation Mentorship Exercise (T.I.M.E) Project and Sunshine Private Limited conducted a skills development training where 25 inmates were taught how to produce detergents.
The inmates, who comprised 23 males and two females, were trained on how to produce petroleum jelly, pine jelly and dish-washing liquid.
Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) holds skills development programmes where inmates are equipped with various skills which they can use once they are reintegrated into the community.
Ncube, who was among the 25, said when he gets home he plans to engage community members and start a business using the skills he has obtained.
“When one is imprisoned the first thing that comes to mind is that all hope is gone and that they are doomed. That’s the mindset I had during the first days but now I see that my stay here has been an opportunity for me to have a second chance in life,” he said.
“I have received training in farming, welding, building, mechanics and today I have obtained another skill which is detergent making. Surely when I get out of prison I won’t fail to use one of these skills if not all to sustain my family. I used to perform piece jobs and sometimes I would engage in illegal mining but from now on illegal activities will be a thing of the past.”
Another inmate, Amira Maphosa (18) who has served seven months, said when she was sentenced she thought her life had been destroyed. She said detergent making was the first training she had received and she wanted to take it up as business.
Maphosa said upon her release in November she wishes to get further training on how to produce various detergents. She said it could serve as a viable business for her.
Brian Sibanda (25) said he had acquired skills in welding, building and detergent making. Sibanda who was convicted for robbery said poverty caused him to commit the offence but with the skills he now has, he could fend for his family.
Nomagugu Ndlovu (21) who is in remand for attempted murder said if the court was going to rule in her favour she will use the skills she has acquired to earn income.
Ministry of Youth, Sport, Arts and Recreation Gwanda district development officer, Mr Paul Mashamba said the training for prisoners was conducted under the Community Ownership Skills Training (CSOT) programme. He said the programme sought to equip the community with skills and knowledge on how to make detergents and confectionary.
Mr Mashamba said the programme is targeting youths, underpriviledged men and women, orphans and vulnerable children, prison inmates as well as organised community and church clubs.
“The Ministry, working with T.I.M.E Project and Sunshine Private Limited, has rolled out a training programme where we seek to empower communities with skills and capacity to develop income generating projects. We are training at the prison because just as Government has said that no one should be left behind in development projects, we don’t want to leave out our brothers and sisters who are in prison,” he said.
“When they get out they also need means to sustain themselves and their families and through these skills we are giving them a starting point.”
He said the bulk of the population of inmates in prison were youths hence the need for skills development programmes.
T.I.M.E founder Mr Adrian Drivo Musa said the skills development training will be a continuous exercise. He said prisoners will be further trained on how to produce more products. Mr Musa said they will engage experts in various fields to train the prisoners.
He said they will move into communities with the training programme. -@DubeMatutu
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