Students donate sewing machines to inmates

DIVINE Word University (DWU) donated five sewing machines to women inmates at the Beon jail who are undergoing educational rehabilitation programmes.
The donation was made following an appeal by officer-in-charge (OIC) of the prison’s female wing Sgt Janet Kanawi.
“It was a big donation from the university through Ms Sikas,” Sgt Kanawi said with tears.
“The female Correctional officers here at Beon are in desperate need for some sewing machines to run rehabilitation programmes for female inmates in sewing and the students and staff came to our help,” she said.
DWU first year social and religious (SRS) students with lecturer Monica Sikas and the department head Dr Bill McCarthy visited Beon to hand over the sewing machines.
Ms Sikas said the different DWU faculties would carry out annual community service programmes to support the Madang people.
“We also see the need to help reformatory centres in the country with the much-needed equipment to help reform the inmates,” she said.
Dr Bill said he was delighted to support the CS’ rehabilitation programme and that DWU had been working in partnership with the Beon CIS since 1999.
Beon commander Supt Joe Jako said: “Such donations will help us rehabilitate prisoners successfully.
“We have been receiving most of the assistance from DWU through the SRS and the health faculty community services.
“We can’t train and equip prisoners with new skills and knowledge unless we have materials like sewing machines and others.”