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PRISONS TO EQUIP INMATES WITH ENTREPRENEURSHIP, DEBATE SKILLS

Mr Ronald Rwankangi, the executive director of Advance Afrika (R), trains prison staff last week. The training will enable staff equip inmates with entrepreneurial skills. PHOTO BY BILL OKETCH 
By BILL OKETCH
LIRA. Uganda prison service is working on a project that will help inmates from various prisons in northern Uganda become entrepreneurs upon release from jail. The project also aims at promoting debate among prisoners in order to improve on their critical thinking.
Mr Adams Hasiyo, the senior welfare and rehabilitation officer for Uganda Prisons Service, said the convicts will benefit from the Youth Entrepreneurship Enhancement Project (YEEP) that aims at improving the livelihoods of vulnerable youths in the north through entrepreneurship skills development. YEEP is funded by Advance Afrika, a not-for-profit organisation with support from Caritas Switzerland.
The project is expected to provide inmates with skills and opportunities to increase income and well-being, reduce vulnerability and marginalisation. Mr Hasiyo said under the project, convicts will also be involved in debating to help them develop critical thinking skills, to challenge their own thinking so that they do not re-offend when they leave prison.
“As we address the issue of your criminality, we have to change your beliefs, your attitude; we also have to address your lack of skills; your lack of credible means of living,” Hasiyo told Daily Monitor in Lira Town last Thursday.
Mr Ronald Rwankangi, the executive director Advance Afrika, said more than 25 prison staff from Lango and Acholi sub-regions have been trained to work with inmates to create income generating enterprises on their return to their homes and communities. He said the curriculum and content training was developed by Gulu University.
“So when these young ex-offenders leave prisons then we support them to startup businesses in their communities, we offer them mentorship and we are also exploring a possibility of giving them some start-up financing to start their businesses,” he added.
CREDIT SOURCE: THE MONITOR

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