Prison Place of deep reflection reformation - First Lady
22 Dec 2023
Baines Drift prison inmates, Wednesday morning, rendered their plea in song, imploring their victims and by extension the larger community for forgiveness and reconciliation. The song 'Ke kopa tshwarelo ya dibe tsaka' couldn't be more appropriate to let out their heart-felt sincerity.
Clad in their burnt orange inmates’ regalia and predominantly on flip-flops, they trudged into the tent timidly, probably fearing possible affront from the faces from outside. However, the warmth that welcomed them set the tone for their eased-up performance.
In front of them was First Lady Neo Masisi, Botswana Prisons Service commissioner, Ms Dinah Marathe, dikgosi from villages surrounding Baines Drift prison and other government officials.
Witnessing the inmates’ sing and dance, Ms Masisi was thrown aback to several interactions with some ex-offenders, where she learnt, through firsthand confessions, about factors that led to their incarceration.
The First Lady has been visiting various prisons ever since 2018, to spread message of hope while simultaneously presenting inmates with gifts such as toiletries and soccer balls.
In the process, the First Lady learnt of the difficulties inmates and ex-convicts faced when finally freed from the chains and cuffs and released from behind bars.
Consequential lessons, she believes they were.
“One of the ex-offenders told us that prison wasn’t a good place to be, but it has helped him reflect. He said he left his children and one of them bore him a grand child whilst he was in prison. He worried that he could not get a chance to play with his grand children.
He said he raped, robbed and killed and when he reflected he realised it was out of anger and frustrations of wondering where his father was,” Ms Masisi said, sharing a story to buttress her claim of prison being a place of reflection than doom.
As a result of the belief in reflection, Ms Masisi challenged inmates to reflect while simultaneously taking advantage of prisoners’ rehabilitation programmes to hone their skills and prepare for life after prison.
“I challenge you to make use of the time you spend here to acquire as many skills as you can because the community out there awaits your return to benefit from your abilities,” said the First Lady during a session that was, for the first time in history, live streamed at all 23 prisons across the country.
On the other hand, the First Lady implored the receiving communities against stigmatising ex-offenders, but welcome them back to the society they left to serve their sentences.
She hailed the Botswana Prisons Service for the offender/family reconciliation programme of 2022, saying it had managed to broker peace between the wronged and the offender.
She also hailed the BPS for introducing gender-based violence perpetrators programme in 2021, saying the programme afforded perpetrators opportunity to reflect on what led to commission of GBV, take responsibility of their deeds and forge interventions against commission of the same in future.
At the same event, Ms Marathe said that re-integrating ex-offenders to the society was a responsibility for all.
She also said that the BPS realised that it was important that the voice of perpetrators be heard and be given a chance to be part of the solution to the scourge.
The BPS chief said Botswana was doing well with regards to Mindset Change, buoyed by inmates who sang a song affirming they were changing their mindset and also pleaded for forgiveness.
The First Lady’s visit of prisons has seen her visit various facilities across the country to share messages of hope while also presenting inmates with some Christmas gifts. The First Lady alternates the North and South prisons annually to ensure that all are reached out to. Ends
Source : BOPA
Author : Manowe Motsaathebe
Location : Baines Drift
Event :
Date : 22 Dec 2023
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