ZIMBABWE: Vocational training empowers people in prison for a better future
Don Bosco Technical College provides free training in various job skills
(MissionNewswire) Don Bosco Technical College, located in Hwange, Zimbabwe*, is aiding the Zimbabwe Prison and Correctional Services by offering vocational training courses to inmates, according to a recent article in the Chronicle in Zimbabwe. The goal is for inmates to learn a skill so they can be productive members of society once they are released.
Father Simba Muza, principal of the college, said in the article, “We have established a collaboration where selected inmates come to our college to receive free training in various skills. Courses offered include bricklaying, dressmaking and other technical skills that empower them for a better future.”
Upon graduation, inmates are provided with starter tools for their profession, which will allow them to begin a small business or seek employment once they have been released. The program trains 10 inmates each cycle.
“This initiative not only emphasizes skill development but also fosters hope and self-reliance among inmates,” said Fr. Muza. “With continued support from institutions like Don Bosco, inmates can aspire to lead productive lives beyond prison walls.”
One of the objectives of the program is to change the narrative around incarceration, showing the potential for rehabilitation and reintegration into society.
Simbarashe Sibanda, an inmate at Hwange Prison, said in the article that he was thankful for the life-changing opportunity. Sibanda noted, “I have only a few months left in prison, and the college has offered me a diploma in bricklaying. When I started my sentence, I never thought I would come out with such skills.”
Don Bosco Technical College is also affiliated with the Higher Education Examination Council, ensuring that the qualifications offered are recognized in the job market.
According to the United Nations, poverty has reached unprecedented levels with more than 70% of Zimbabwean children in rural areas living in poverty. Humanitarian organizations have warned that if nothing is done to address food security issues, child poverty will only grow. Across the country, the poverty rate in Zimbabwe was estimated at 38.7% in 2023.
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Sources:
Chronicle – Catholic college offers vocational training for prisoners
World Bank – Zimbabwe
*Any goods, services or funds provided by Salesian Missions to programs located in this country were administered in compliance with applicable laws and regulations, including sanctions administered by the U.S. Department of Treasury’s Office of Foreign Asset Control.
