SMEC backs training at prison

Female inmates at Bomana have been baking their own bread, muffins, and other pastries after a 16-week training provided by SMEC under its partnership with the prison. Although they still require more training, prison management said they now have some skills to use.

By YVONNE KAMBIBEL
THE Small and Medium Enterprises Corporation (SMEC) is determined to continue its support to strengthening the rehabilitation programme at the Bomana Correctional Facility in Port Moresby.
Managing director Petrus Ralda, during a small presentation ceremony yesterday at Bomana’s female wing, said the programmes that had been rolled out at the facility were vital for the inmates.

Bomana acting commanding officer – Southern – Yelly Oiufa during a brief tour of the tailoring room in the female wing of the prison. Garments surrounding Oiufa were made by five female inmates under the rehabilitation programme.

He said the partnership between SMEC and the prison management had so far seen the successful rolling out of tailoring and baking programmes that not only helped provide life-long skills to inmates, but would also helped rehabilitate them as they served their terms.
“We are supporting this programme because it will provide inmates with the skill set to help them start fresh when they finally leave the facility and also give them the confidence to use the knowledge acquired during the programme to sustain themselves when they are back in their communities,” he said.

**SMEC managing director Petrus Ralda signing a K10,000 cheque to present to the Bomana prison in support of its rehabilitation programmes.**

Bomana’s acting commanding officer – Southern – Yelly Oiufa thanked SMEC for its continued support.
“We have over 800 inmates and out of the total, close to 700 of them do nothing the whole day and these programmes have given both the females and the male inmates something to do,” he said.
“We have plans to develop these programmes further and are grateful our stakeholders like the Small and Medium Enterprises

**Female inmate Evelyn Steven, 30, from Southern Highlands, using a sewing machine during a demonstration to the delegation that toured the facility yesterday.**

Corporation who support our inmates with vital trainings.”
Inmate Serah James said they were empowered with skills to start their own businesses once they completed their sentences.
“I have been in here for over six years and this is the first time we have been given the opportunity to train to sew all kinds of garments to sell and help sustain our operations here,” she said.
James urged stakeholders to continue supporting the programmes so that more inmates could benefit from it.