Church’s bid to help prisoners mend ways

By Wambui Ndung’u

For many people, the name ‘prisoner’ conjures up images of a ruthless criminal who should remain behind bars for the rest of his or her life.

And quite predictably, even after they finish serving their time or are released on parole, ex-prisoners are still viewed with suspicion.

It is against this backdrop that a religious organisation launched a programme at King’ong’o Prison in Nyeri aimed at not only reforming prisoners, but also ending stigmatisation of ex-convicts.

In the programme spearheaded by Living Faith Church, prisoners are taught leadership skills and are also put through rigorous spiritual coaching and behaviour change sessions.

"We are involved in a holistic approach in the training to ensure that a prisoner becomes a better person when he leaves jail. We train them on behaviour change and also mentor them on leadership skills," said Reverend Jack Kamere, the church founder.

Some of the inmates at the King’ong’o Prison awarded with certificates after completing a three-month training. [PHOTO: GEORGE MULALA/STANDARD]

Resistance

He said although there was resistance by some prisoners when the programme was first launched, most inmates have since warmed to the initiative.

The programme marked a major milestone recently when 65 prisoners, who had undergone a three-month leadership, life skills and spiritual foundation coaching, graduated.

"When we started visiting the prison, we came to show them compassion and also brought them essentials. But we later realised the Government can give that so we decided to give them something that will stay with them forever," said Kamere.

Those who undergo the training are expected to impart the skills they have acquired to fellow inmates.

Through the programme, the church hopes to help reduce cases of indiscipline in correctional facilities and recidivism (the act of ex-prisoners repeating the crime that landed them in jail).

Kamere said the church also intends to start a similar initiative at a nearby medium-security prison and women’s prison.

He said stakeholders should take advantage of the fact that correctional facilities are now accessible to the public to join efforts in rehabilitating convicts.

The training, which the church hopes would run on a regular basis, targets the social, moral and spiritual aspects of the inmates.

"Once we are able to do this, even the prison staff will have an easy job as there will be a general behaviour change," said Kamere.

Under the programme, the church also helps integrate convicts who have completed their sentences into the society. The church also sensitises the public on the need to accept ex-convicts back into the society after they are released.

During the colourful ceremony at King’ong’o Prison in Nyeri, acting Provincial Prisons Commissioner Dickson Mwakazi also called on stakeholders to assist prison authorities offer different courses to inmates.

Use skills

He called on the public to assist those who have finished serving their jail terms start income-generating projects so that they can use the skills they learnt at the facilities to better their lives.

"You were not brought here to be punished but as a punishment," said Mwakazi. On this day, there was palpable excitement at the facility and the prisoners who had undergone the programme could not conceal their joy for their achievement.

"The world out there is tough and such courses will help them reintegrate," said Kamere. The graduands are expected to proceed to the next stage of the four-module programme next month.

One of the beneficiaries of the initiative, Nathan Maringa, who is serving a 20-year jail term, said he has greatly benefitted from the project.

"I have become genuinely repentant for what I did and have come to peace with myself," said Maringa.

An ex-prisoner, Shadrack Njenga, who recently completed his 10-year prison term, says the skills he learnt during his incarceration have helped him cope with life outside prison.

He currently runs a carpentry business.The officer in charge of King’ong’o Prison, Patrick Aranduh, said since the inception of the programme, cases of indiscipline at the facility have gone down.

"Prison is a rehabilitation centre and this programme helps inmates not only change from without but from within," Mr Aranduh said.

The programme is one among several others courses taught to inmates at the prison.

Aranduh urged inmates to take advantage of their time in prison to learn as much as they could.