Centre Trains Inmates For After Prison
Two professionals from Australia are teaching inmates the basics of jewellery making
Eight inmates from the Suva Corrections Centre and the Women’s Corrections Centre are undergoing a week of training in the art of making jewellery under the rehabilitation programme of the Fiji Corrections Service.
Conducted by two professionals from Australia at the Tagimoucia Art Gallery in Suva, the initiative is aimed at preparing inmates for when they are released from prison.
Sydney-based design and visual arts teacher, Natacha Brochard and her Fashion and Jewelry designer mother, Linda Walker-Muchelknautz are sharing their experiences teaching them the basics of jewellery making techniques using materials such as beads, wire, glass, metal, and clay.
The centre’s goal is that the knowledge and skills obtained from this training will allow the inmates to start their own business when they leave prison.
Ms Muchelknautz said she was very humbled by the experience and they were impressed with their (inmates) natural abilities.
“We should always keep them encouraged because they have enormous potential,” she said.
“It is my philosophy that when we plant the seed of inspiration, creativity is birthed; when we are focused, we get good things out from that and it is only when we are unfocused that we lose a lot of things in life.”
She said this programme would allow the inmates to focus on what they wanted to do with their lives after prison.
Commissioner of Corrections, Commander Francis Kean, who visited them on Saturday, thanked the mother and daughter team.
“Hopefully, when they are released from our care they are able to set up small business enterprises for themselves,” Commander Kean said.
“This is all part of our rehabilitation so that they are able to sustain themselves when they return to our community.”
A volunteer, Jane Ricketts, has been assisting the inmates at the gallery for the past nine years, initiated the programme.
“Linda was born in Fiji and her grandmother is from Tailevu. I was her teacher at Suva Grammar School and she came for the reunion three years ago when they toured the gallery,” Ms Rickets said.
“That was when she was interested in coming here to share her experience but due to the busy schedule, it finally eventuated this year when her daughter is now available for a holiday.”
The training was from Monday to Thursday and the final day of training was held on Saturday.
Source: Fiji Corrections Services
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