First Lady Rachel Ruto has commended the Carter Foundation for constructing a Sh8 million children centre at the Kisumu Women's Prison.
The First Lady said the centre was a well thought-out idea which has immensely benefitted inmates.
She said it was great that children were growing up in a conducive environment despite the centre being within the correctional facility.
"The children's area is a state-of-the-art facility and I'm impressed with the cleanliness I have witnessed within this facility," she said.
Mama Rachel spoke in Kisumu on Friday when she joined Kodiaga Women Prison to celebrate the International Women's Day cum groundbreaking for the construction of a workshop to be built by Manu Chandaria Foundation.
“After conducting a tour of the women’s prison facility, I want to take this opportunity to commend the team who are taking care of the women here,” she said.
The children's centre boasts of fitted modern art, toys, beds and a classroom for the children.
It also has cubicles for nursing mothers to breastfeed their young ones away from the public glare.
Rossie Odera received the First Lady at the facility on behalf of Foundation Director Patrice Andre Carter and took her round.
Odera said she was pleased to have the honour to show Mama Rachel around the facility.
The centre is helping children whose mothers are serving different sentences in the prison.
“I want to thank God for this day, I'm here to represent the Carter Foundation for this function today at the prison," Odera said.
She further noted that the First Lady was impressed with the work done by the Foundation.
“She was very delighted when she entered the centre, she loved it and appreciated us for the good work we are doing to the children," she added.
The facility was handed over to the prison in 2021 by Director Carter.
She did the project after she was touched by the welfare of the children whose mothers are in prison.
More than 15 children whose mothers are serving different sentences in the prison are benefitting from the facility.
Besides the children care centre, the Foundation has done a number of activities to uplift the wellbeing of inmates.
Odera said the Foundation constructed a shade inside the prison, extension of water to the kitchen and setting up an outside kitchen.
“The Foundation has done a lot and continues to partner with the prison authorities to carry out more activities,” she said.
Josephine Onderi, the officer in charge of Kisumu Women Prison said the First Lady was impressed with the work at the prison.
“For sure, the First Lady was happy, extremely happy with the children care centre,” she said.
Carter has in the past committed to the mobilisation of funds from friends and well-wishers to continue supporting the women prison.
During the celebration to mark Women’s Day, the First Lady promised to introduce women inmates at Kodiaga to Cross Stitch, a form of economic empowerment scheme.
“I used to promote table banking and that could not be done at the prisons so I thought of cross stitching,” she said.
Cross stitch is a form of counted thread embroidery that has been around for ages.
Mama Rachel said the new initiative has been rolled out in Langata, Nakuru, Shimo La Tewa, Kakamega and Kitale women's prisons.
“Through cross stitch we have seen the inmates become economically empowered, this has enabled them to educate their children and take care of their families while behind bars,” she said.
The First Lady further noted that the programme has made it easier for inmates to be accepted back into the community once they leave prison.
Since inception, Mama Rachel said the programme has benefited 1,200 women who have been trained on cross stitch, with over 7,000 lives impacted indirectly.
She announced that over Sh25 million has been paid to those who have made cross stitches.
“I promise to come back here and train Kodiaga women inmates and I urge those responsible for women inmates to encourage them to learn to earn an income,” she said.
