By Kaleb Nghishidivali
WINDHOEK, August 8 A spirit of accomplishment and growth filled the air as the Windhoek Correctional Facility’s female section celebrated the graduation of seven offenders from a three-month cake baking course.
The ceremony, held on August 8, 2023, was presided over by Assistant Commissioner Julia Nauvinga, Officer-In-Charge of the Windhoek Female Correctional Facility. This event not only marked a significant milestone for the participants but also highlighted the facility’s commitment to providing vocational opportunities for its inmates.
The cake-baking project, initiated in 2019 by officers from the Windhoek Female Correctional Facility, began as a fundraising endeavor. Early support from fellow correctional officers and community members provided the necessary capital and supplies to kickstart the project.
By 2022, the initiative had expanded its scope, allowing the public to place orders for home-baked goods.
Expressing her gratitude, Assistant Commissioner Nauvinga extended a warm welcome to the attendees and applauded the dedication of Akwenye, the Chairperson of the Community Advisory Committee (CAC), and her team. Nauvinga also acknowledged Celeste for her generous donation of baking equipment and utensils, emphasizing the importance of community involvement in such rehabilitative programs.
“The CAC members, appointed by Commissioner-General Raphael Tuhafeni Hamunyela of the Namibian Correctional Service, have significantly contributed to the improvement of our correctional facility through their advisory roles and participation in planning and hosting activities and events,” Nauvinga stated.
While the project is still in its early stages as a vocational trade, it has already seen nine inmates participate, with three currently enrolled. The ultimate aim of the Namibian Correctional Service (NCS) is to evolve the project into a formal vocational training program that awards inmates official qualifications.
Nauvinga stressed the constructive nature of the project, highlighting its dual benefits of imparting employable skills and preventing idleness among inmates. The training program follows a two-phase structure. The first phase, held from April 25 to July 31, 2023, concentrated on cake decorating skills, including cake leveling, fondant covering, and fondant art creation. The upcoming second phase will focus on the technical skills required for baking various types of cakes.
Despite the project’s achievements, Nauvinga acknowledged the challenges posed by limited resources, including a shortage of qualified instructors, baking ingredients, and equipment. These constraints have hindered the enrollment of more inmates into the program. Nevertheless, the Windhoek Correctional Facility remains enthusiastic about the project’s future growth and efficiency, thanks to the support of the CAC.
