Trust touts vocational skills among juvenile offenders
Byounique Trust programmes manager Anita Tiggelaar has asked government and other stakeholders to join hands and support children who are in conflict with the law to turn them into productive citizens.
Tiggelaar said this on Saturday at Mikuyu II Juvenile Prison in Zomba during the graduation of 34 boys who have successfully completed training as barbers, carpenters, tailors and farmers as well as 18 boys who graduated as trainers of trainees (ToTs) in the four cited vocational skills.
Said Tiggelaar: “Vocational skills are vital as they ensure that the rights of children in conflict with the law are respected. This enables the juveniles to get a second chance after release and become productive citizens.”
On her part, officer- in-charge for the reformatory, Susan Mande, commended the trust for entrusting the inmates with the skills which have reduced habitual returns of offenders to prisons. n