Male’, Maldives – An agreement has been signed between Maldives Correctional Services (MCS), Ministry of Home Affairs, and State Electrical Company (STELCO) to provide on the job training for prisoners who have been released on parole.
The ‘Fahi furusathu’ program, as it has been named, aims in rehabilitating prisoners who have been given the opportunity of parole, but removing them from criminal environments and giving them on the job trainings, as well as to pave a away for them to earn a legitimate income. As such, STELCO will be providing such individuals trainings and internships through this program.
Speaking at the signing ceremony, Home Minister Imran Abdullah commended the initiative by the Managing Director of STELCO, and highlighted that the reason for those who are released from jails to return back to lives of crime are due to the financial and societal burdens placed on them.
As such, he stressed that the Fahi Furusathu program is a stepping stone towards the effort and plans made to ensure that those who are released from prisons are rehabilitated as productive and contributive members of the society.
“Many a times, prisoners who are released eventually return back due to them being forced into their old ways as a result of them not having a place to stay or earn an income. If this project becomes successful, I believe that the way that is paved today would shape their lives [for the better]. And the work learned would give [them] the self confidence to excel further.” Minister Imran said.
Continuing, Minister Imran requested other private and state owned companies to create similar opportunities in the future, in support of the efforts to rehabilitate those in the state prisons.
Commissioner of Prisons, Ahmed Mohamedfulhu also spoke at the ceremony, highlighting that the efforts of the program would allow prisoners to re-enter the community as accepted and productive members of the society, and that due to this, the work of the Maldives Correctional Service would improve further.
The commissioner also said that hopes are for those who complete this training program, their families and the entire communities to benefit from it, making this approach a holistic one.
