Stigma the biggest challenge inmates face after release

Kenya: Despite undergoing rehabilitation while in jail, once released, many prisoners come face to face with stigma.

Family and friends reject them because they view them as unproductive criminals.

Rejection by society in general causes loss of self-esteem and affects income-generating activities, more so for those who have families.

However, police reforms have  been rolled out that aim to help prisoners accept their state and to enhance their social and economic value after release.

Dressed in prison uniform, inmates at the Nakuru GK Prison are seen every morning, busy  supplying foodstuff to the prison kitchen, trimming pavements, weeding on the farm while remandees are ferried to different courts under the supervision of prison officers.

MORAL TRAINING

Time management at the premise is of essence; immediately after conducting their daily routine, they hurry to the industrial sector where correction engineers are tasked with conducting psychological, moral and skills training lessons that entail tailoring, carpentry, beadwork and academics to make the inmates productive after release.

The prison officer in charge of Nakuru GK Prison James Sawe says the skills are in line with the Police Reforms Act.

After being charged in courts, the prisoners are required to choose what they prefer to do while serving their prison term with the guidance of the reception board, he says.

Sawe adds that equipping inmates with skills helps them establish income-generating activities after their prison term.

“There are many inmates who are rejected by the society after servicing their jail term. Equipping them with knowledge enables them to seek for employment to earn a living. Idleness is not encouraged while at the premise,” says Sawe.

The training is part of an integration process to ensure prisoners fit back to the society and overcome the stigma they face after serving their jail term, he says. He believes inmates should embrace the training offered at the facility to make them productive and empower them to easily fit back into the society after completing their term.

John Mbugua, 55, distributes pieces of police uniform material to tailoring trainees for sewing. Mbugua, who is serving a 20-year jail term after being convicted of defilement in 2003, is equipped with tailoring skills after three years of training. Though he has spent three years at the facility, he is eager to apply the skills acquired to generate income.

“Through guidance from my instructors, I am able to design a variety of clothes that can earn me a living after my release in 2017,” says Mbugua as he oils his machine.

John Gachuhi, another tailoring student from Karima village in Othaya – jailed for 12 years in 2006  for manslaughter –  keenly follows inspector Charles Ongeri’s instructions on how to join pieces of cloth. He says he wants to make the best of the remaining time to perfect his skills. He is scheduled for release in October. He points out that after being charged, he thought that 12 years of his life would go down the drain. He also thought he would be subjected to hard labour especially because he was  a school dropout. 

“Members of my church trek long distances in search of good tailors mostly during functions. I will lure the market by providing the best services,” he says.

Students at the carpentry workshop are equipped with different tools including hammers, tape measure, utility knives, layout squire chisels, screwdrivers and tape measures.

They are under the able tutelage of Nashon Ndaiga, the officer in charge, who deftly guides them through the practicals.

They are trained on how to make chairs, tables, beds, wall units and wooden cutlery for sale on order and for display at various shows. Daniel Murage, who was  imprisoned in 2009 after being charged with robbery, says he is happy to have acquired carpentry skills after dropping out of school due to lack of fees.

Access education

Murage plans to open a training workshop after serving his full term to benefit children who cannot access education.

“The society condemns crime but it is financial constraints that contribute to criminal activities,” says Murage. Another inmate, Robert Njoroge, a father of three, says he will use the skills he is getting at the prion to expand his business.

“Gaining skills is not enough. I will open a furniture business to supply wood products,” he says.

At the welding workshop, students are busy converting metal bars into windows, doors and kitchen products. Engineer Peter Njoroge, who holds a mechanical engineering degree, heads the class. Njoroge, who was convicted of manslaughter last July, teaches other students how to maintain machines. “Instead of being idle at this premise, I decided to share my knowledge with other prisoners. I run a workshop in Nakuru town where I would like to employ some of the well-performing students after their release,” he said.

While majority of skilled prisoners ponder how to raise capital to run businesses after their release, Charles Lang’at, 27, from Londiani District in Kericho is contented waiting for his release, having saved more than Sh30,000 while serving his term.

Langat, who was convicted with the abduction of a schoolgirl is a carpenter.

“After training, I began making and selling products on order and saved the cash. I will use it to open a small enterprise after my release in September,” he says cheerfully.

The head of education, Kihara Kihoro, says apart from these, there are 89 students in Classes One to eight, 18 computer students and 24 others have enrolled for artwork.

TRANSFORMED FATHER

Aaron Nduku, a preacher and  carpenter who served a 14-year term is a transformed father of five who was welcomed by the entire community after rehabilitation.

While in prison, Nduku enrolled for academics, sat for his Kenya Certificate of Secondary Education (KCSE) exams at Naivasha GK Prison and scored a mean grade of D+. He later enrolled for carpentry and theological courses at the Nakuru GK Prison.

“Fourteen years is a long time in prison. Having dropped out of school due to lack of school fees, I decided to go back to school to avoid idleness and acquire knowledge and skills,” he told The Standard. He says most people indulge in criminal activities due to illiteracy and lack of employment.

“While serving my term, I learnt majority of prisoners indulge in crime due to illiteracy. More so because they do not know how to deal with issues affecting their livelihood,” he said.

Nduku, who is also a church leader, runs a small business at Kaptere Centre in Kericho. He uses his theological knowledge to provide guidance and counselling services to the youth and members of his Chemasut Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church to enable them grow into productive and responsible adults.

The facility has 1,753 inmates and continues to receive remandees.