The Mennonite Central Committee (MCC) on Monday handed over assorted teaching and learning materials to Malawi Prisons Service at Prisons Headquarters in Zomba.

National Prisons Education Coordinator Inspector Mike Njolomole said the donation is enough for two academic terms.

“This is quite a big relief because this donation will take us through two academic terms for the seventeen reform schools with over three thousand learners”, said the delighted Njolomole

He further appealed to other stakeholders to emulate what MCC has done. Njolomole added that such a huge donation towards prisoners’ education is the first of its kind.

The Chief Commissioner for Prisons Ms. Wandika G Phiri said she is pleased that stakeholders have joined the Prisons department in supporting various correctional programs the department is offering.

 “This is a manifestation of the stakeholders’ commitment to support the department’s shift from a retributive to a correctional service.

“ The department is ready to work with all stakeholders in advancing the correctional approach to offender management”, said Wandika when she received the materials from the Restorative Justice and Peace Building Project Manager Senior Superintendent Brian Natro Kondowe on behalf of MCC.

The donation has been made to the Prisons department after MCC which is also financing the Restorative Justice and Peace Building Project (RJPB) in Malawis Prisons was impressed with the way the project is running.

“This donation is a bonus to the good work Malawi Prisons Service is doing in the way it is implementing the RJPB Project. We noted that alot of Peace Club members are also students in reform schools, so we decided to come in and support the Prisons.

“We believe that this donation will add value to the quality of education being offered to Prisoners and subsequently improve their performance”, said Issa Embobolo who is the MCC’s National Peacebuilding Coordinator for Zambia and Malawi.

Mr Ebombolo, however refused to disclose the amount spent in the procurement of the materials.

“The principal of MCC is that it doesn’t disclose the amount spent for any donation, all what we want to see is that the donation should reach the intended beneficiaries and the subsequent improvement in their performance”, said the soft spoken Issa.

Senior Superintendent Brian Kondowe said that the donation is energizing as it is a sign of trust in the management of the project.

“This is not mean. It means alot to me as a Project Manager and my team. It is a very big message of trust sent to us by MCC. We will ensure that we don’t lose this trust by delivering the desired results to MCC”, said the jovial Kondowe who is also the Service Chaplain.

He further thanked the Commissioner responsible for Administration and Finance Mr. Clement Kainja for his relentless support as the Chairperson for the RJPB Project Steering Committee.

Mennonite Central Committee is an Anabaptist Christian charity organization originally from North America.-( Story Credit: Malawi Prison Service)

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