On 5 October 2016, UNAMID Rule of Law – Prisons Advisory Unit (RoL-PAU) in partnership with North Darfur Prisons Administration and El Fasher Technical School, held a trade certification ceremony at the close of two years vocational training programme in welding and metal works for prisoners at Shallah Federal Prison, North Darfur. The project, which is part of the Mission’s support to Darfur prison administration, is geared towards reformation and rehabilitation of inmates through vocational skills training. In turn, this training will empower inmates with livelihood skills that will provide a pathway for effective community reintegration, when released from prison.  

Speaking at the ceremony, the Officer-in-Charge of UNAMID Sector North, Assane MBAYE reiterated the Mission’s commitment to building institutional capacity of the prisons system in North Darfur. He appealed to the prison’s administration authorities to allow more inmates to participate in the multiple vocational skills training programmes offered at Shallah Prison.

Team Leader of Rule of Law office in North Darfur, John Omondi, stated that this type of vocational training has a direct impact on the prisoners’ well-being when they are released and reintegrated in the community. “Through this vocational training, the prisoners will have the capacity to engage in different meaningful economic activities particularly in the informal sector, thereby minimising the risk of the individuals engaging in wrongful acts,” Omondi stated.

Director of State Prisons Administration in North Darfur, Colonel Mutasem Abdul Fattah, explained that the vocational training offered, is part of the reformation programme for inmates aimed at equipping prisoners with critical hand skills in welding and metal work, carpentry and tailoring and leather works.

Lt. Colonel Abdallah Suliman, the Director of Shallah Federal requested the Mission to extend its support to other meaningful projects such as the installation of solar power in prison premises.

The Director of El Fasher Technical School, Mr. Abdallah Zakaria Ageed, pledged to give the inmates technical and hand skills they will need to live a more productive life after release from prison, pointing that this will only be possible if UNAMID provides enough material to facilitate future vocational training programmes for more inmates at Shallah Federal Prison.

A representative of the inmates later extended his appreciation to State Prisons Administration for its support with the vocational training opportunities in Shallah Federal Prison, stating that this good will has encouraged them to pass the trade test examination and offer them a better future.  

Shallah Federal Prison is now a certified Testing Centre for trade certificate training for prisoners conducted by the Directorate of Technical Training in the Ministry of Education, North Darfur with support from UNAMID Rule of Law - Prisons Advisory Unit. More than 250 inmates have benefited from this vocational training program in welding and metal works, tailoring, leather work, and outdoor trades such as plumbing and electrical installations.