By Mabinty M. Kamara
The Sierra Leone Correctional Service (SLCS) has called for support from both government and private individuals and organizations through the award of contracts to the institutions.
Public Relations Officer, Lesley Cole-Showers told Politico that they have been getting few contracts from government institutions and schools to sew uniforms. The latest of such contracts he said was from the National Youth Service to whom they recently delivered 700 pairs of uniforms for the National Youth Corps. The work he said was done within six weeks by the tailoring wing at the Pademba road Correctional Centre in Freetown. He said they have always ensured customer satisfaction through quality work and timely delivery of the materials produced.
The Spokesman said the First Lady, Fatima Bio has contracted them to produce 20,000 recyclable sanitary pads for school children across the country. But such contracts he said do not come often as expected.
According to a media advisory published by SLCS, the Acting Deputy Director General, Ahmed Turay said during the handing over of the 700 uniforms to the NYS, that both institutions signed a memorandum of understanding that will promote mutual benefits.
He added that bank accounts had been created for the inmates and they had been captured under the earning scheme created in 2018, through the financial help of the UNDP.
One important aim of the initiative he said “is to help restore the dignity of offenders and make them assets of development." He added that work on the 20, 000 recyclable pads for school- going girls in the country was in progress with the same inmates supervised by trainers from the correctional staff.
The Correctional Service has an industry section which according to officials is designed with various technical courses that can transform the lives of inmates into useful citizens when they complete their jail terms.
The courses include carpentry, arts and crafts, upholstery, construction, welding, shoe making and tailoring.
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