A hybrid library has been launched at the Kamae Girls Borstal Institution as the State Department for Correctional Services moves to enhance its reformation and rehabilitation efforts targeting young offenders.
Supported by the International Children’s Aid Network, the learning centre will provide both physical and digital learning resources for beneficiaries, including those from the neighbouring Kamiti Youth Correction and Training Centre.
Speaking during the launch, Acting Probation and Aftercare Service Secretary Shadrack Kavutai, who represented the Principal Secretary, said the resource centre will greatly enhance rehabilitation efforts by providing learners with access to a wide array of educational resources that promote a conducive environment for learning.
“Education remains one of the most powerful instruments of empowerment and rehabilitation available within the correctional landscape,” he observed.
He noted that the department is increasingly focusing on creating opportunities that facilitate personal growth, character development and social reintegration, adding that the establishment of the facility aligns perfectly with the restoration and reintegration agenda.
While thanking the International Children’s Aid Network for its continued support, Kavutai said the positive outcomes of the collaboration demonstrate the transformative power of education and the importance of strategic partnerships in correctional programming.
According to Deputy Commissioner General of Prisons in charge of Technical Services Jane Kirii, the launch of the latest resource centre demonstrates the Kenya Prisons Service’s commitment to empowering young offenders through quality education and personal growth.
International Children’s Aid Network co-founder Dr. Marc Hauser reaffirmed his commitment to supporting the initiative, noting that exposure to books opens the mind to curiosity and that the hybrid library will open a world of alternatives for the beneficiaries.
Education and Training Director at the State Department, Dr. Margaret Mutuma, described the development as a testament to the department’s commitment to positively transforming the lives of children in conflict with the law through education.