The Turkish Cooperation and Coordination Agency (TIKA), Turkey's official development assistance agency, Tuesday donated welding equipment and materials to Juba Central Prison.
The equipment includes 100 welding rods, 240 grinding discs, 280 cutting discs, welding goggles, hammers, and sheet metal to be used in a vocational training program for inmates in South Sudan.
The three-month training program will benefit over 30 inmates.
Addressing the press during the launch, Turkey’s deputy chief of mission for political and economic affairs in South Sudan, Mustafa Kemal Akbulut, told reporters that the Turkish government will continue supporting development projects in South Sudan.
“We are sure that this project will have a huge impact on the lives of these people after they complete their time in prison. We believe that it is important to help inmates reintegrate into society and to equip them with the necessary skills for the job market,” Mustafa Kemal said. ”Turkey has supported the government and the people of South Sudan since the country’s independence in 2011 in different fields.”
Gabriel Atem, the director of the Center for Community Transformation, said the donated equipment and training will transform the lives of the inmates.
“This training is a three months training program that will change the lives of inmates. The training will equip them with the necessary skills. We urge the Turkish Embassy to continue supporting this program to empower the inmates,” he said.
Juba Central Prison was built in the 1940s, to keep 45 prisoners behind bars. In its current state, the holding capacity is over 1500 inmates, 50 of whom are females. The facility lacked a vocational training program since South Sudan separated from Sudan in 2011.