A TOTAL of 29 juvenile prisoners aged 18 years and below were challenged to change Papua New Guinea over the next 50 years after their serving prison terms at Bomana.
Bomana Prison officer in charge of juvenile prisoners, Sergeant Wai Sip, challenged the prisoners who received certificates on good values and leadership after successfully completing an 11-week course with PNG Tribal Foundation under its Senisim PNG Program.
Sgt Sip said juveniles must change for the future and not return to committing crimes in their communities.
He thanked Tribal Foundation for introducing the Senisim PNG Program, which had helped to teach good values and character building among juvenile prisoners..
“We want to see everyone walking out of the prison to go out there and change PNG after independence not to go and repeat your bad ways committing crime,” Sgt Sip said.
“What you learnt today must be practised daily on respect, listen, share, help your peers, always seek permission and many others through the value of hope, integrity, adding values to others, empathy, purposes, listen and attitude are simply daily transformation will yourself and PNG.”
The youngest prisoner, aged 13 said he wanted to return home and go back to school.
Another, aged 18, said he wanted do volunteer work with Tribal Foundation and spread the good work in his community.
“I used to swear a lot, I have anger issue but since I completed 11 weeks session, I found myself a new person, I found my purpose and I can be a better child to my grandmother when I return home,” said a 15-year-old prisoner.
PNG Tribal Foundation and Bomana Prison are considering extending the program to include warders and other inmates.