Getting convicted and imprisoned is not something that makes the offender happy but rather leads them to face the wrath of the law. In the dark cells, the inmates are exposed to all sorts of weird behaviours that they are not used to.
However, there are some benefits to getting into rehabilitation centres like prisons where the inmates get trained and equipped with vocational skills in areas like masonry, carpentry, and welding so that at the end of incarceration, the culprit can be able to start again to benefit from the training.
Prisoners like Wesley Kipsang Rotich, who was incarcerated for 20 years, prove that anyone can turn their lives around, even after decades in prison.
After he was placed in the custody of prison staff who are lawfully committed to facilitating the rehabilitation of imprisoned offenders for community reintegration, he enrolled in prison programmes to learn courses offered for those behind bars.
Rotich, who will be released this month, informed KNA that through the government-offered programmes and the rehabilitation programme, he has gone through three courses and is a changed man after going through Naivasha Maximum Prison, Kericho Prison, and lastly, Bomet Prison.
“I have been behind bars for 20 years, and in August, God willing, my family is waiting for me, and I am eager to see them. I have gone through three courses, which include welding, sheet metal and woodwork, and fitting frames and metal, among others, for which I am grateful,” said Rotich.
Rotich pointed out that the majority of people have negative impressions of prisoners and even think that when offenders get incarcerated, they do not change.
“The majority of our people usually think otherwise about those who committed crimes and eventually landed in jail; I want to inform them that we are changed people, we have gained skills, and we are ready to mingle with society and impact them positively after spending many years away from them,” said Rotich.
Rotich feels like a new, reformed man who is ready to start correcting his life once again with the new skills he has already gained from the correction facility in Bomet.
However, he is a worried man, as he informed KNA that even though he is full of skills and competent enough, he lacks the funds and the necessary equipment to open a workshop at his home once he is out of jail this month.
“I am grateful for the life skills that I have gained from this correctional facility; however, I am pleading with well-wishers and other stakeholders of non-governmental organisations to have a look at my case and aid me with equipment and materials to set up my workshop once I am out of this place. Through this, they will set me up once again on my feet and help me become a productive, reformed former convict,” pleaded Rotich.
The head of the workshop department in Bomet GoK Prisons, Chief Inspector Maritim Aruasa, indicated that he has 70 inmates currently training and working under his watch.
Aruasa said that they prefer training and imparting skills to long-term imprisoned inmates to make them easily adapt to their new environment.
“We have three major courses offered here in our workshop; we keenly watch and identify inmates with skills from long-term saving convicts whom we train and nurture,” explained Aruasa.
“Most convicts find it hard to accept their fate behind these prison walls; we take them through counselling sessions, advising them accordingly to enrol in our workshops and train,” Aruasa said.
However, Aruasa pointed out that the number of pieces of equipment needed to train inmates is currently insufficient as compared to their strategic plan.
“We keep getting new inmates when you compare what we have here in terms of equipment and materials. It’s a challenge; we are asking well-wishers to visit us and join hands with us to reform our inmates,” said Aruasa.
Most of the ex-convicts who completed their jail term have been employed in workshops and polytechnics, especially after getting recommendations from their previous correctional institutions.
By Lamech Willy. A.
