Breaking the Chain
The University of Makeni’s Educational Programme at Makeni Correctional Center
Since 2019, the University of Makeni (UniMak) has been taking learning behind bars. An innovative and unique programme at the Makeni Correctional Facility is proving that knowledge can rehabilitate and empower, offering inmates a second chance at life.
In 2014 the Prison service in Sierra Leone changed its name to the Sierra Leone Correctional Service, reflecting a change from a focus a punitive function to “institutionalise the process of Reformation, Rehabilitation and Reintegration of inmates."
For years the Makeni Correctional Facility housed individuals with little access to education, leading to high recidivism rates. Recognising this UniMak launched an initiative to equip inmates with knowledge and skills to give them marketable skills – and keep them out of prison.
These courses not only foster self-improvement and critical thinking, they offer hope. Instead of merely serving time, inmates now reshape their futures.
The program covers basic business and entrepreneurship skills but even more importantly the volunteer teachers from UniMak teach inmates critical thinking, how to communicate effectively, and build their self-confidence.
Many inmates, once doubtful of their abilities, now write essays, discuss business ideas, and dream of further education.
One of the first inmates to join the programme, Musa Jalloh now has a bright future ahead.
A sentence of eight years had left him with no hope for the future. The UniMak course gave him a reason to beginning dreaming again – and keep him out of prison.
"I felt I had no future, no hope. Studying and eventually getting my certificate changed all that."
Released a year ago, he’s now a full time University student.
Kenneth A.K. Kelly is the Officer in Charge of the Makeni Correctional Center.
He believes that the UniMak programme has had a huge impact of the lives of the inmates and the prison itself.
“The changes are remarkable. Inmates who once felt hopeless now have purpose. They engage in discussions, set goals, and develop new skills. It has reduced tension in the Center and improved behaviour.”
“There’s been some community pushback around educating inmates but we are working to change that and people are beginning to see the benefit
There's one final link in the chain, providing vital support to the inmates when they leave the Center.
If they are not to fall back into a life of crime it's really important that the inmates can put what they have learned into practice outside the walls of the Center.
At the same time as the teaching programme was being initiated, Alimany Marah and his business partner Alpha Conteh were setting up their plastic recycling business.
Many of the graduates from the UniMak programme now spend time with Next Chance, turning plastic waste into building materials.
Putting their entrepreneurial skills into practice reinforces the work already done in the classroom, something that former inmates like Musa Jalloh really valued.
Like Jalloh, J.J. is also a graduate to the programme. He now runs a successful aluminium business in Makeni.
Ending up in prison after a business deal went sour, J.J. used his time to put his life together.
After his release, he's working hard to grow the business and is keen to help others, offering work to prisoners doing the UniMak courses.
"He who feels is knows it. I can talk to them better because I have been through it myself"
And it's not just his career that the course has put back on track. Graduating from the UniMak course brought about a reconciliation with his father.....
JJ now runs a successful business in Makeni
JJ now runs a successful business in Makeni
Unisa Patrick Kamara is the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at UniMak and a passionate advocate for the partnership with the Makeni Correctional Center.
From the beginning of the programme in 2019 he saw the value of providing education inside the walls of the correctional facility.
"Inmates have a huge number of challenges to overcome if they are not to re-offend. The education we give them helps them integrate back into society, into their families and the communities they come from."
Kamara has big ambitions for the programme, hoping to scale up the awarding of certificates to providing diploma and eventually degree courses for inmates.
"This programme is unique to Makeni but we hope that its success will inspire the authorities and the community to allow us to expand its scope and ambition, providing Sierra Leone with a sustainable further education system inside the country's prison system.
"Our goal is simple - to reduce the risk of inmates returning to prison and give a fresh start to those who have offended, breaking the chain of crime and punishment.
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