Story by Patience Nyagato
A former inmate is rebuilding his life through art, transforming discarded materials into marketable creations after acquiring recycling skills during incarceration.
Reginald Marimba, who was jailed in 2018, learnt craft and recycling techniques under rehabilitation programmes run by the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service.
Now pardoned under a Presidential Amnesty after serving a six-year term, he is using waste products, including leftover sadza, paper and other recyclables, to produce distinctive artworks that promote sustainability while generating income.
“All the things I make here, I use waste material. I combine sadza, paper, sometimes a bit of rhinoset just to make sure it does not stick, and for finishing, I use oil paint. I realised some of the things people dump can be recycled. I have quite a collection I have made here. From animals, chairs, among other things,” he said.
Marimba said the skills acquired in prison enabled him to reintegrate into society and become self-reliant.
“I was incarcerated in 2018, and while in prison, I learnt this skill. I perfected it whole in my six years of serving. We thank the government for that initiative because now I am able to take care of myself,” he added.
Two years after his release, Marimba says he is focused on building a sustainable livelihood through art, turning waste into opportunity and redefining his future.
