Business training boost for mum on parole

WHEN Ruth (not her real name) was convicted of a crime, it was a low point in her life.
The mother of three, found herself, the target of harassment and abuse in her village and faced the prospect of jail.
“It was a tough situation,” Ruth recalled.
“I was called names, people pointed at me. We were living in fear.”
Fortunately, she was not sent to prison, but received a community-based order, that enabled her to continue caring for her children.
Thanks to support from her family, and from the community-based corrections (CBS) officers in charge of her case, things have improved since then.
Noting Ruth’s efforts to earn money by starting a lunch-making business, one of her CBC officers enrolled her in a course teaching business skills.
The training for Ruth and other parolees was organised by parole services in the Department of Justice and Attorney-General.
Facilitators from Wewak-based Fowaid Inc taught participants how to make soap, oil and biscuits from local ingredient such as coconut, as well as bookkeeping skills for managing their own small businesses.
Ruth says the instruction at the workshop opened her eyes to new possibilities.
“All of these things we have used in the training to make soap, coconut oil, biscuits, they are resources we already have in our home and village,” she said.
“This training is a booster for me, it is encouraging me to do better.”
Ruth plans to start a small business of making soap and other goods.
“This is a good opportunity. I have heard how others have done it. If they can do it, I can do it too.”