Nelson Mandela once said that no one truly knows its nation until one has been inside its jails and a testament to this is Jaipur Central Jail's latest initiative.
In what is an excellent example of working towards a better and brighter future for prisoners, Áashayein - The Jail Shop, was inaugurated on January 18, 2017 in the presence of CM Vasundhara Raje.
Run and managed by the jail inmates, it brings to light the apt idea of punishment - not to serve brutality but to work for the improved future of the convicts. With the shift in approach of prison management - from punitive to reformative - imparting of skills have been the focus of the authorities.
"We've tried to upgrade the skills of the inmates to a level where their products can compete with those in the open market. So that once a prisoner is released, they can make a livelihood through the skills they've acquired if they choose to," says Wilson Sharma, Deputy Jailer.
Carpentry, sheet metal fabrication, tailoring, cloth making, agriculture, painting, dari-making, candle and incense stick making are only some of the skills they're being trained in.
The prison department has involved professionals from various fields to share their know-hows with the inmates. "Experts in fields like dari making, painting, carpentry and sheet metal work impart training to the inmates. We also have experts from Indian Institute of Craft and Design, who're giving their inputs."
The authorities, who've a strong belief that inmates will make a better living once their skills are honed, aim to bring out the hand-created products in the circulation of commercial market.
"With these skills and a little support, they can earn a livelihood. The selling of goods in the open market at competitive prices will be the ultimate test of the skills acquired," he says.
The department hopes that the revenue generated will be helpful for the welfare of the convicts and that it'll help them earn a secure livelihood.
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