4-H Zimbabwe partnered with the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) at Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison to commemorate a day dedicated to fostering inclusivity and social cohesion.
The tournament was focused on celebrating the day through the promotion of the mental and physical wellness of inmates and mostly bringing them together in a peaceful co-existence.
The guest of honour and Chief Superintendent for Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison, Alfred Machingauta commended the efforts by 4-H Zimabwe in ensuring that the inmates feel recognized and included in development through the use of sport.
“It is a great honour to be having this tournament today by 4-H Zimbabwe where we are witnessing sport being used as an essential tool for inmates’ physical and mental well-being. We greatly appreciate such interventions as they give inmates some activity to look forward to and to talk about for weeks to come, ” he said.
One of the major objectives of the sponsored tournament was to promote inclusivity, sensitising the communities through the 4-H Zimbabwe lens, that prison is not punishment but a place for rehabilitation and offering Correctional services to incarcerated inmates.
Through the tournament, 4-H Zimbabwe also thrived to raise community awareness and conscientisation on the need to accept inmates as equal human beings who are beneficiaries of rehabilitation and Correctional service, all to ensure their readmission into society.
4-H Zimbabwe further recognized the need to promote prisoners’ mental and physical health in preparing them for life outside prison and readmission into society as well as appreciating the need for a peaceful coexistence and social cohesion when they return to the communities.
Beyond this event, 4-H Zimbabwe has a track record of using sports to foster social cohesion and raise awareness on various issues, including drug abuse and youth development.
Supported by organizations like the FIFA Foundation, they have engaged youth from marginalized communities, promoting peace, tolerance, and overall health.
In his remarks, 4-H Zimbabwe Executive Director, John Muchenje reiterated the organization’s commitment to supporting inmate rehabilitation through sports.
He expressed gratitude to the Chikurubi Maximum Security Prison authorities for their collaboration and emphasized the importance of community integration for former inmates.
“We believe that you are also a part of the community and such initiatives are crucial to ensure that you understand that you are not alone. Our aim is to ensure that your physical and mental health are cared for so that when you go outside into communities you can easily blend in and avoid making similar mistakes,” he said.
