Helping Ex-Offenders Re-Enter Society in Malawi
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filed under:
country: malawi,
justice,
national ministry,
language: english,
region: africa,
aftercare,
news
In January 2005, PF Malawi opened a halfway house to assist ex-prisoners in the transition from prison to community life.
In helping ex-offenders reconcile with their families and communities, the halfway house offers several different services:
- Psychosocial counselling – offering guidance in social and spiritual issues
- HIV/AIDS project – awareness raising among the participants in the halfway house programme
- Vocational skills training – carpentry, agriculture and tailoring with plans to include brick laying
- Human Rights Approach – awareness raising about individual rights, especially in the area of criminal justice
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Reintegration in the community – mediating conflicts between ex-prisoners and members of their family or community
In its first year of operation, the halfway house has taken in four courses of individuals leaving prison with a total of 33 people. Of those, only 6 programme participants returned to prison in the first year after release.
June 2006
