The International Labour Organization (ILO) in collaboration with the Correctional Services Solomon Islands (CSSI) in Auki, Malaita province had successfully completed four days of community based entrepreneurs development (C-BED) training.
This was delivered to to inmates and officers inside the Auki Correctional Centre, 27th to 30th May 2014.
C-BED in Sshort is an innovative tool that relies on self facilitation. It integrates hands –on, activity based lessons, use of diagrams and pictures, and social learning techniques to build the business skills capacity of participants both aspiring and current entrepreneurs.
It is designed in such a way that both literate & illiterate can learn and understand the concept of entrepreneurship.
ILO had piloted this training tool/package to more than 10 countries since 2011 and shows a success rate of 90 percent in terms of its impact within each country.
Solomon Islands then adopted this module last year 2013 as part of the ILO’s support to post conflict recovery program in Solomon Islands.
Equally, the training is part of the ongoing support that ILO under the human security trust fund (HSTF) mandated by UNDP had provided to the targeted participants/communities towards their capacity building, livelihood, income generation, and particularly achieving the lasting peace in Solomon Islands.
ILO in this instance sees the important of such program and thereby welcomes the invitation of CSSI in Auki to bring the C-BED as part of the rehabilitation process for the inmates within the centre.
In this collaboration, the impression was to emphasis and prepares the participants, especially the inmates’ mindset and mode of conduct to evolve into something good when leaving the centre.
So to, instead of seeing them as criminal in public when leaving the centre, the training will empower their capacity to behave in such a way the participation in their own communities may accepts.
During the opening of the training, the superintendent in charge of the centre Cecil Nokia cordially thanked ILO for seeing the importance of the rehabilitation programs of the Correctional Services Solomon Islands and accepts their invitation to be part in this program.
In this regard, CSSI in Auki is looking forward and welcomes other relevant programs that ILO is contemplating to facilitate with the CSSI inmates in near future.
In response, the Solomon Islands ILO project coordinator Denton Bennie, reiterated the importance of this training to the participants, and challenge the participants to be a model for others in Solomon Islanders by leveraging their knowledge into action and be part of the economic recovery of Solomon Islands after the training.
He further emphasis that ILO willingly accepts the offer to be part in this rehabilitation program.
The training was officially opened by Denton D Bennie, (ILO HSTF Coordinator) and Thomas Puahanikeni – chief peace and reconciliation officer, Malaita province.
The training was officially closed on Friday 30th May 2014 with participants being awarded with a certificate of participation.
With that, the inmates were so happy to learn of the new skills and knowledge from this training.
Speaking at the closing ceremony, inmates representative thanked ILO & ACC management for delivering the training inside the Centre.
“We are so fortunate to have this training; I know that this training will empower most of us (inmates) on our continuous rehabilitation program”.
In the closing speech, Mr. Nokia stated that C-BED is management component to maneuver the pre-vocational skills that inmates had acquired from other vocational trainings inside the Centre.
Mr Nokia further emphasised that for the rehabilitation program for the inmates, more programs are needed and this would be a great opportunity for other NGO’s to be part in this rehabilitation programs.
The training was attended by total of 46 participants including officers, and inmates inside the Centre.
By Roy M Fugui,
Reporting for ILO
In Auki, Malaita province.
