Prison Fellowship of Nigeria, an organization setup to cater for the spiritual and physical wellbeing of the incarcerated persons said it has been catering for over 50 children of inmates serving jail terms in Correctional Center Keffi
The Keffi Zone of the organization at the weekend in Keffi camped some of the children to a two-day programme to empower them through skill acquisition, intimacy with Christ and career mentoring, through one of its projects, Promise Path Project (PPP).
Speaking at the closing of the programme, Nasarawa State Acting Chairman of the Fellowship, Evangelist Kpame Andrew stated that PPP is designed by God to reach out to children of inmates, while the job of the caregiver group is to follow God’s instruction. He said for the past three years since the inauguration of PPP, it has been all success. Evangelist Kpame called on the children of inmates who are beneficiaries of the project to avail themselves for the training packages.
“This programme is to build the edge that has collapsed. If you are missing someone somewhere, you are gifted someone somewhere. I urge to concentrate throughout the packages for this year” he told the kids.
In a similar vein, both Dr. Kolade Emmanuel, Chairman Northern Zone, Christian Association of Nigeria (CAN), and Rev. Chaplain Grace Oloyede, Coordinator PPP stated the impact of the project which has been on for the past three years. They said it is an opportunity for the children of inmates to recover what was lost.
Kids who participated in the programmes shared experiences of how the Fellowship has changed their lives for better.
Speaking with newsmen, Pastor Taiwo Adekunle, Zonal Coordinator, Prison Fellowship of Nigeria, Karu Zone threw more light on the activities of the Fellowship and its projects.
“Prison Fellowship is part of Prison Fellowship International which is in 120 countries all oner the world. Our job is to visit them just as Jesus Christ said that ‘when I was in prison you visited me’, that is our vision. And we did not only visit them in prison, but we also visit their families to look after them. Those who want to go to schools, we pay their school fees as well as those who want to learn trade.
“For instance, in Keffi Correctional Center, we have an office there where many of them are being educated through National Open University of Nigeria. As at today, some of them got their degrees from prison.
“One of our projects is Promise Path Project (PPP) that we are here for the two days camp. Through PPP, we cater for the children of inmates. From research we discovered that because their parents are incarcerated most of their kids dropped out of school.
“Nasarawa State Chapter of Prison Fellowship of Nigeria is one of the pioneering chapters of the PPP. For the past three years of the inauguration of this project, we have been paying school feels of these kids. We get to know about them through the inmates. When we get their addresses, we visit caregivers or their families to take-over the welfare of these children.
“Only for this Zone, we take children as far as Shafa, Gwagwalada and other places in Federal Capital Territory, since their parents are incarcerated here in Keffi, we visit them, pay their school fee, we visit their schools, encourage them, and then we give them school materials. We ensue that they are in school.
“The PPP is not only for children of Christian inmates, it for everyone as you can see Muslim kids here. The project is not after Christians alone; it is after people who are incarcerated.
“As we speak now, we have about 50 children under our payroll for the past three years. Some of our children have graduated while some of them are about to finish secondary school.
“We don’t just want to be paying their school fee, that is why we bring them here to camp them and have them encouraged. We also want to introduce Jesus to them. We also teach them skills. In this camp for instance, we have thought them how to bake bread. Last year, we thought them soap making, making of small chops and so on. Also, we orientate them about career choice. So, we are also mentoring them. Our believe is that for one to become a good citizen of Nigeria, he or she must be spiritually and physically sound” he said.