Thirty-five inmates from Port-Gentil prison in Gabon's Ogooué-Maritime province have received certificates after completing a year-long vocational training program. The program, initiated by the NGO Prison and Hospital for Jesus Christ, aimed to facilitate their social and professional reintegration upon release. The certificates were handed out during a ceremony at the prison. The program is part of a broader effort to provide inmates with skills that can help them reintegrate into society.
The inmates received training in various fields, including refrigeration and air conditioning (13), building electrical work (13), fishing net manufacturing (4), and literacy (5). The training program was designed to equip them with practical skills that can be applied in the job market. According to Jean-Jacques Ona Mbega, director of the Port-Gentil prison, acquiring these skills is an important step in preparing inmates for their return to society. The program is a collaborative effort between the prison administration and the NGO.
The director of the Port-Gentil prison, Jean-Jacques Ona Mbega, expressed his gratitude to the NGO Prison and Hospital for Jesus Christ for its commitment to the initiative. He emphasized that the training program is crucial in preparing inmates for their reintegration into society. Mbega also highlighted that the program offers inmates new opportunities to contribute to the development of society after their release. The program is seen as a way to reduce recidivism and promote rehabilitation.
Françoise Assengone Obame, the governor of Ogooué-Maritime, attended the certificate ceremony and congratulated the recipients on their achievement. She encouraged them to consider the skills they acquired as a starting point for new opportunities. Obame emphasized that their current situation should not deprive them of hope and that their past should not close the doors to their future. She also stressed the importance of collective efforts in reintegrating inmates into society.
Governor Obame highlighted the significance of vocational training in promoting dignity, autonomy, and reintegration. She called for sustained efforts to ensure that the skills acquired by the inmates translate into concrete job opportunities upon their release. Obame also emphasized the need for collaboration between public authorities, prison administration, trainers, economic partners, and civil society to facilitate the reintegration of inmates.
The program aims to make the period of detention a time for learning and preparation for social reintegration. The prison administration and its partners seek to provide inmates with skills that can help them lead productive lives upon release. According to Obame, "The privation of liberty must never be the privation of future." The program is seen as a way to promote rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.
The certificate ceremony was attended by administrative authorities, parents, friends, and members of the NGO. The program is a testament to the collaborative efforts of the prison administration, the NGO, and other stakeholders in promoting the rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates. The inmates who received certificates have acquired skills that can help them lead productive lives upon their release.
Key points
- The program aims to facilitate the social and professional reintegration of inmates upon release.
- The inmates received training in various fields, including refrigeration and air conditioning, building electrical work, fishing net manufacturing, and literacy.
- The program is a collaborative effort between the prison administration and the NGO Prison and Hospital for Jesus Christ.
