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By Elvis Dumba
Banket – The partnership between Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services (ZPCS) and Tobacco Research Board which has spanned three decades is positively impacting the success of rehabilitation and reintegration of prisoners into society.
Prisoners are benefitting from a tobacco husbandry one-year training course where they will get the free life skills that empower them to take serious tobacco farming when they finish serving their convictions on a move that will help reduce the cases of prisoners going back to criminal activities after leaving jail.
Hailing the partnership, Zimbabwe Prisons, and Correctional Services Deputy Commissioner General-Operations Christine Munhivi who was the guest of honor at the graduation of 15 inmates at Banket Open Prison, said the initiative between the two institutions has managed to ensure that ex-convicts are integrated back into society as productive community members.
“We are grateful to our partners, the Tobacco Research Board who have supported us for at least 15 years as ZPCS strives to assist in the re-integration of our offenders back into society as reformed citizens. We are happy that today we are gathered to celebrate new skilled tobacco farmers. This training is very expensive out there to get but I am happy that these 15 graduates have benefited from our mutual partnership. I call upon other institutions to come on board and assist us in various areas of cooperation as we seek to rehabilitate offenders for successful reintegration back into societies,” she said
At least 260 former inmates have benefited from the initiatives with some becoming successful tobacco farmers.
A former inmate, Reason Mushavi who is based in Beatrice said the training has helped him become a successful tobacco farmer.
“I was once here as a prisoner and got a chance to be equipped with tobacco farming skills. After leaving prison, I will put it into practice. Together with my wife, we are doing well and I am even imparting the knowledge to my neighbours. I am grateful the training helped me to be a reformed person,” he said.