THE Chinese government has pledged financial support to former prison inmates to enable them start business projects.
Source: China offers to fund ex-prisoners’ projects – NewsDay Zimbabwe July 18, 2016
BY MUNESU NYAKUDYA
Speaking at a luncheon last Friday, Chinese ambassador to Zimbabwe, Huang Ping called on former prisoners to identify business opportunities and pursue them instead of blaming society for ostracising them.
“We will do our best to help you, but you should have sharp eyes to see business opportunities and try to create employment for yourselves,” he said.
Speaking at the same event, former inmate and president of Women in Purpose, Kudzi Nyoka, made a passionate plea to society to give ex-prisoners a second chance.
Nyoka, who benefitted from a Presidential amnesty earlier this year after she was convicted for fraud, carved a niche for herself when she won the Star Bright musical show, while still in prison.
“Prison is a training place, where we were being corrected of all the mistakes we made. Why train us behind bars? Why bring the Zimbabwe School Examinations Council exams and degrees to us, when at the end of the day you refuse to employ us?”
“We have changed because when we were behind bars, we were empowered. I am appealing to all of you that if you try to employ us, we will make a greater Zimbabwe,” she said.
The former inmates said it was sad the government had come up with a new policy not to employ rehabilitated convicts.
“Our families do not want to accept us. But when we turn to churches, since they visited us in prison, we find out that they have double standards. They see us as sinners and we are left to be outcasts,” Nyoka said.
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