Martin leaves prison after 4yrs determined to start a new life

By ELIAS LARI
MARTIN Yawe walked out of prison on Monday after spending four years there, confident that he has learnt from his mistake and is now a reformed person.
Martin, from Maiya village in Pangia, Southern Highlands, was jailed in February 2016 on marijuana-related issues.
His family members handed him over to police because he had become a menace to them, terrorising them and damaging their properties at the village.
Martin walked into Buiebi Prison in Mendi, Southern Highlands a bitter person.

While behind bars and locked doors, Yawe had no choice but to change his ways.
During his jail term he tried to convince his families to give him a second chance. But they could not do much as he already had been convicted.
In 2017, he was transferred to Baisu Prison in Western Highlands, further dampening his spirit. He realised he was a stranger in another province surrounded by strangers in a compound.
A ray of hope came in the form of a Catholic priest who introduced him to the prison’s rehabilitation programme. Father Robert Nolie was heading the rehabilitation programme at Baisu.
He helped Martin change his attitude. He was picked to work on the poultry, pig, fish, goat and cattle farms in prison.
Martin began to view prison differently – as a place to learn and change from past bad habits. He saw hope and a fresh start to life.
“All I can see was fence and I started regretting my past but nothing much I can do but to serve the four-year jail term.”
The farm work kept him busy and he gradually forgot about the outside world and its issues.
“Prison is where people go to change their lives and become better individuals. At first I was feeling homesick and wish that my life would end.
“But I served and completed my term. I accepted my mistakes and promise not to repeat them.”

“ I was deprived of my freedom over four years. It has taught me a lesson to correct my mistakes and become a changed person.”

Fr Nolie saw the potential in Martin to change and encouraged him to look at the positive side of life.
The rehabilitation programmes in jail have been helping many prisoners including Martin.
Many arrive in prison straight from the village and without any trade skills or plans for the future.
“When prisoners complete their terms, they are given live birds and animals to take home and start a farm.
“We also have a technical and vocational training centre in jail.”
Martin left the prison gate on gate with a live pig and two ducks as gifts to take to his Maiya village. He will put into practice the farming skills and knowledge he had been taught. He thanked Fr Nolie for changing his life.
Now he can go back to his village with a valuable knowledge of how to run animal and bird farms.
“I have come to realise my mistakes when serving four years in jail. I was deprived of my freedom over four years.
It has taught me a lesson to correct my mistakes and become a changed person.”