Story by Providence Maraneli
GWANDA – THE Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS)’s new rehabilitation thrust is bearing fruit, with a former inmate in Gwanda setting up a thriving business after release.
Armed with iron rods, a driller, and protective goggles, Norman Ngwenya now spends his days productively at the Ntepe business centre in Gwanda, a far cry from his past as a prison inmate.
His story is one of redemption, resilience, and the power of second chances.
Three years ago, Ngwenya was serving a custodial sentence for a sexual offence.
While incarcerated at Gwanda Prison, he seized the opportunity to acquire welding skills through a training initiative spearheaded by the ZPCS.
Today, Ngwenya operates a thriving welding business that is contributing meaningfully to his community.
“I am extremely grateful to the ZPCS for equipping me with a skill I can now use to support myself and my family. I am able to weld various items, and business is going well,” Ngwenya said.
Members of the Ntepe community have commended the transformation they have witnessed in Ngwenya since his release.
“In the past, we believed that once someone was convicted, they could not be reintegrated. But with Norman, we are witnessing a true transformation,” a community member said.
Within the walls of Gwanda Prison, more inmates are following a similar path.
Matshitshi Khumalo and Kholwani Mazwi, both serving sentences, have taken up sculpting and artificial flower-making respectively, and hope to pursue their crafts upon release.
“I am now engaged in sculpting using inexpensive materials, and you can see the beauty of what we are creating. I appreciate the knowledge being imparted to us,” Khumalo said.
“I have learnt how to make artificial flowers, and I intend to turn this into a business once I am released,” Mazwi added.
The ZPCS has placed strong emphasis on rehabilitation and reintegration, with a deliberate focus on skills development to reduce recidivism.
The Officer in Charge at Gwanda Prison, Superintendent Ishmael Madzimbamuto said the department is proud of the positive outcomes.
“We are excited to witness the success of our rehabilitation programmes. Many former inmates are starting businesses and creating employment for others. This is what we aim for.”
The ZPCS in Matabeleland South Province has partnered with institutions of higher learning, including Joshua Mqabuko Nkomo Polytechnic and the Zimbabwe Open University, to offer inmates short skills-based courses that prepare them for reintegration into society.
The ZPCS’s approach is helping shift perceptions about incarceration, from punishment to transformation, as more former inmates re-emerge as productive citizens contributing to national development.
