Inmates, warders learn skills skills

NINETEEN inmates and two correctional service officers at Bihute Jail, near Goroka, Eastern Highlands, can become successful coffee farmers.
That was made possible through a week-long coffee training provided recently by the Coffee Industry Corporation, with help from the Bihute Jail management, and Mercy Works, a Catholic-run non-government organisation.
Corporation chief executive officer, Navi Anis said the training offered to inmates was the first of its kind in the country and was a good initiative to empower inmates to become coffee farmers and lead a meaningful life in their communities after release.
He said the corporation, in collaboration with its partners, would look for ways to continue the coffee training for inmates and if possible extend it to other jails in the coffee growing provinces of the country.
Corporation provincial farmer training and extension coordinator, Samson Jack expressed great satisfaction in the overall response from the inmates during the training.
“The inmates have shown great interest in what they have gained,” Jack said.
He said the training covered coffee garden management, nursery, coffee quality, marketing and other life skills.
Bihute jail commander Simon Lakani said the coffee and life skills training had been a very good education for the inmates and it should continue with other inmates so they could have something to look back on once they left prison.
Spokesman for the inmates Gola Dala, said they were now empowered with coffee knowledge and could become good coffee farmers and advocates in their respective communities.
The inmates were presented with saws and scissors to take home when leave prison.