The Windhoek Female Correctional Facility’s cake baking project for inmates is making progress despite facing challenges.

The project was initiated by officers from the correctional facility in 2019. This year’s training started in April.

Speaking at the graduation event on Tuesday, Assistant Commissioner Julia Nauvinga said the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) wants to train as many inmates as possible through this project, as it is deemed a constructive activity that not only helps inmates gain skills that can assist them in finding employment or starting a small business of their own upon release, but also keeps the inmates from being idle in their living unit.

“The project is not regarded as a formal vocational trade as of yet, but it is something the NCS is aspiring to do. We are hoping that soon the project will transition into an official vocational skill whereby our inmates will receive the necessary formal training and subsequent qualification,” Nauvinga said.

Celeste Mertens, who trained the inmates, said they were dedicated, as they were always engaged in discussions and asked questions.

NCS Public Relations Officer Salmi Hangula told Nampa the first phase of the project has been completed, resulting in the graduation; but the second phase is dependent on funding.

She explained that cake baking is just one of the activities inmates engage in as they also do gardening and needlework.

The cake baking project is however limited by a lack of resources, such as qualified instructors, baking ingredients, utensils and equipment, and can as a result only accommodate a small number of inmates at a time.

Source: NAMPA