Needle, thread, sew! Partners come together for female inmates |18 December 2020
The prison choir entertaining guests (Photo: Louis Toussaint)
Female inmates at the Montagne Posée prison were yesterday presented with their certificates, after having successfully completed a basic sewing course, realised by the efforts of the Soroptimist International Club of Victoria, the Enterprise Seychelles Agency (Esa) in partnership with the Seychelles Prison Service (SPS).
The nineteen inmates, plus another on remand custody, completed the last session for the project on Wednesday, marking the end of the first phase of the project which kicked off in September.
For the first phase, participants have learned and produced reusable shopping bags and face masks, already available on sale from members of the Soroptimist Club at reasonable prices.
Subsequent phases will include learning to sew and produce other useful items such as purses, casual bags and decorative buntings which can be used as eco-friendly alternatives to balloons and other party decorations.
Implemented by the Soroptimist Club, the project seeks to provide support and means of equipping female inmates with new skills and to encourage them to reflect on future business opportunities that they may start once they complete their sentences.
The project is also in line with various modes of rehabilitation programmes implemented at the prison.
During the ceremony yesterday, training coordinator of Esa, Evaline Joubert on behalf of Esa, committed to continual support for the inmates and the project and for future phases.
Similar sentiments were echoed by President of the Soroptimist Club Marie Ah-Moye who expressed how proud all involved in organising the project are of the inmates for their hard work, dedication and enthusiasm.
“This programme goes to show that we the women have something to do to keep us busy. Often times we have seen programmes which start geared towards the females but which fail, or we lose interest, or the authorities do not honour their promises. This project to make bags and masks has evidently been a success and it has come at a good time for us, where we can help to stop the propagation of Covid-19, by producing our own masks, and even surplus for sale,” she said.
“I would like to sincerely thank the Prison authorities for allowing different partners to bring their support to us. I thank Esa for offering training and special thanks goes to Brenda Lepathy, our patient instructor and Sergeant Doris Crea for her encouragement and continuity. On behalf of all female inmates, we too hope that one day we can be placed in permanent Category 2 programmes (work-placements) as with male inmates,” one of the inmates said during the vote of thanks, launching an appeal to all organisations who want to support female inmates to approach SPS for such.
As explained by rehabilitation officer of the SPS, Donald Zialor, there are three categories of rehabilitation programmes at the prison, including programmes involving work and other activities within the compound itself and worked-based programmes with companies such as the Public Utilities Corporation (PUC) and the Seychelles Trading Company (STC).
Among the internal programmes are spiritual programmes with the Roman Catholic, Islam, Jehovah’s Witness and Anglican faiths, as well as sports programmes. According to Mr Zialor, both the male and female volleyball and football teams have been successful in matches and competitions, securing wins against some of the best teams.
Asides from such programmes, inmates can get involved with workshops and seminars aimed at developing their skills and reforming them, as well as caring for animals, specifically dogs.
As internal programmes do not generate funds, inmates, including those working on the project, receive a small allowance while those on external work placements are remunerated.
Laura Pillay
