General News of Tuesday, 18 December 2018
Source: theindependentghana.com
2018-12-18
The aim of the donation by WDF is to improve the wellbeing of the inmates
Women’s Development Foundation (WDF) in collaboration with Anowah Ministries has launched a project to fellowship with the inmates of female prisons, in addition to donation of assorted items such as rice, maize, beans, clothing, slippers and many more worth thousands of cedis.
The donation is part of Women’s Development Foundation (WDF) broader vision of supporting vulnerable and needy women by providing sustainable employable skills that will eventually take the beneficiaries out of poverty. The Foundation has trained over 5,000 needy women to acquire various livelihood skills, including dressmaking since its inception.
Speaking at the donation ceremony, Chief Executive Officer of WDF, Noble Catherine N.E.A. Coffie, FCIDA said the aim of the project, known as the ‘Prison Save a Soul Program’ is to improve the wellbeing of the inmates. She said WDF deemed it fit to support the inmates with these items on the occasion of the Christmas festivities. She said the project is built on the premise that crime affects everyone and the odds are that we all know somebody who has been convicted of a crime, or suffered as a result of someone else’s offense. Yet with all the emphasis on incarceration, recidivism rates remain high, as those who eventually leave prison struggle to reintegrate into society.
Fellowship
Ms.Coffie, after a powerful spirit filled worship session urged the inmates that irrespective of the circumstances that took them into incarceration, their focus now should be the transformation they want to see in their lives after serving their jail terms. She reiterated that no matter what might have come their way, the Lord will turn it all for their good only when they believe and act accordingly. She advised the inmates not to lose focus on their dreams and not be filled with anger and resentment but rather have a positive attitude towards the people around them so they don’t end up in a mental prison of their own making after they are free and also think of ‘’what they will do after here’’
She shared stories of great women in the bible, using the story of Esther in a ‘mental prison’ as an example. Ms. Coffie also encouraged the public especially women to deal with anger so it does not destroy them one way or the other citing herself as an example, she also encouraged families and society at large to look beyond stigmatization and support ex-convicts to reintegrate into society after serving their time in jail.
Appreciation
Management of WDF is very grateful to the authorities of the Ghana Prisons Service for helping to make the project a reality. The Women’s Development Foundation has more plans in the pipeline for the prisons, head potters (kayaye /street children) and needy schools, and would execute them in due course.
The officers in charge of both Nsawam and Akuse Prisons respectively expressed their appreciation to WDF and Anowah Ministries for the kind gesture. They said the donated items will go a long way to provide the essentials for their wellbeing.