Rev Bhobho’s benevolence touches prison inmates
INMATES and beneficiaries of the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services rehabilitation programme at Mutare Farm Prison this week handed over some handmade crafts to United Methodist Church’s Reverend Togara Bhobho as a way of appreciating his benevolence.
The handmade crafts handed over to Reverend Bhobho included handbags, portraits, mats and cushions, among other things.
Since 2013, Reverend Bhobho and his team of well-wishers have been donating to various prisons in Manicaland, and on Christmas Day last year they handed over quarter chicken meals to every prisoner and some prison officers as part of celebrating their 10-year partnership with ZPCS.
Speaking after receiving the gifts at Mutare Farm Prison on Wednesday, Reverend Bobo said: “We are deeply humbled by this gesture. We thank God for allowing this to happen. We decided to hand over foodstuffs to all prisoners so that they could feel loved and appreciated. We managed to hand over foodstuffs to inmates in Nyazura, Chipinge, Murambinda and other parts of Manicaland.
“We will continue working with prisons in Manicaland, preaching and inspiring inmates. We will empower them when they are still inside and when they get reintegrated into society,” said Reverend Bhobho.
Mutare Farm Prison acting officerin-charge, Chief Correctional Officer Pardon Maziti said they are excited that the rehabilitation programme is bearing fruits.
“It is good to know that inmates took their time and used their skills to come up with beautiful crafts like these. As ZPCS, we have a rehabilitation section that has been instrumental in assisting prisoners identify their talents and nurture them.
“Inmates come with different skills and at different levels of education, so we help them to develop and nurture their skills so that when they are released they will go and commercialise their skills and talents. When the inmates come here, they are not coming as prisoners, but as people who need healing and rehabilitation.
“Reverend Bhobho has been assisting us for many years, and we are forever grateful. The inmates are also grateful. As ZPCS, we hold a family week, but this time we did not because of the cholera outbreak, but he assisted us by giving us foodstuffs.
“He has also been helpful in spiritually nourishing the inmates through preaching whenever he comes here,” he said.
Inmates interviewed said they are happy to have done something heartwarming for Reverend Bhobho.
“I made him a portrait of an eland, which is his totem, using cardboard boxes, water and paper. We cannot afford a lot, but we did it with a loving heart. We are forever grateful for what he has been doing for us,” said one of the inmates, Kelvin Mapfunde.