Inmates’ transformation wins kudos
IN But Free (IBF), a Non- Governmental Organisation (NGO) concerned with the welfare of inmates is playing a major role in transforming prisons into correctional facilities, an inmate has said.
Chairperson of the Peer Educators at Kansenshi Correctional Facility Mwaba Mulenga Katongo said transformation had been expedited through the provision of hygiene packs and increasing literacy levels among inmates among other measures.
He said the introduction of school programmes like tailoring by the IBF has put the transformation of prisons into correctional facilities firmly on course.
Mr Katongo said this in an interview at the IBF stand during the on-going Zambia International Trade Fair (ZITF) in Ndola.
He said the collaboration between the Zambia Correctional Facilities (ZCF) and IBF had resulted into positive changes in the correctional facilities.
"IBF has been working with the ZCF for the last 23 years. In these 23 years, we have seen a number of developments which are improving the welfare of the inmates, So we salute the partnership of the two institutions.
"For IBF, we think the partnership with ZCF has brought significant improvement in the welfare of the inmates in terms of health and education. In terms of health, IBF gives us hygiene packs which include soap, vaseline, chlorine and sanitary pads for women inmates,'' Mr Katongo said.
Mr Katongo, who was at the IBF stand with the two male inmates and three female inmates, said he was impressed that the Correctional facilities were becoming a place for transformation as those being discharged were joining society as productive citizens.
Other inmates at the IBF stand, were Pascal Kangwa, Emmanuel Mukende while the female inmates were Musunga Namunkondya and Chile Mapanda.