What started with a firewood oven, a wheelbarrow, and a handful of female inmates with little baking experience has grown into one of Bomana Prison's most successful rehabilitation programs, culminating in the purchase of a new 15-seater bakery bus worth K126,000.
The bus was officially launched on Tuesday, June 16, by Bomana Correctional Service Commanding Officer Chief Superintendent Yelly Oiufa and Assistant Commissioner for Southern Region Timbi Kaugla.
The Female Wing Bakery began in 2019 as part of the inmates' rehabilitation program under the supervision of CS Officer Caupol Everlyn Ovoi. At the time, no more than 10 female inmates made up the bakery team.
With little baking experience, a firewood oven, and a wheelbarrow used to transport baked goods around the Bomana community, the women started small but remained committed to learning and improving their skills.
Ovoi said most of the women had never attended a baking school and relied heavily on online learning.
"Every year we have new female inmates joining the bakery section while the old ones go out, so most of our training comes from YouTube tutorials," she said.
As rehabilitation programs within the Female Wing continued to grow, a truck was provided in 2020 to support activities including sewing, gardening, and the bakery. The additional transport helped improve operations and contributed to increased sales.
In 2021, One Tribe Australia visited Bomana and provided practical training to inmates in various rehabilitation sections, including baking.
Following the training, the bakery expanded with the addition of an electric oven. Production increased and sales improved, allowing the bakery to supply products not only within Bomana but also to nearby communities.
The bakery's growth also enabled it to support other rehabilitation projects within Bomana Prison. However, transportation remained a major challenge as the available truck was shared among several rehabilitation programs.
Revenue generated through rehabilitation programs is deposited into the Prison Industry account, which supports inmate rehabilitation activities and operational requirements. Funds from the account were later approved for the purchase of the Female Wing Bakery's new 15-seater bus.
Commanding Officer Yelly Oiufa said he had spent considerable time seeking approval from Headquarters for the release of funds to purchase a dedicated vehicle for the bakery section.
He said progress was made after Acting Commissioner Bernard Nepo took office.
"For a while I had been pleading without any response from Headquarters. Then Acting Commissioner Bernard Nepo took office, we were in talks, and after the decision was made, we submitted the quotation. Today the Female Wing has its new bakery bus," Oiufa said.
He also acknowledged the support provided by the outgoing Acting Commissioner.
"I would like to represent Bomana Prison Camp in thanking outgoing Acting Commissioner Bernard Nepo and acknowledge his contribution. I also wish him success in his new role within the Correctional Service."
Assistant Commissioner for Southern Region Timbi Kaugla praised Bomana Prison Camp for its rehabilitation efforts and the positive transformation taking place among inmates.
"Your hard work has been rewarded. Now you can see the bus as the result because some of the work is becoming self-sustaining, and Bomana isn't what it was in the past," Kaugla said.
"I want to thank the inmates and all the officers in Bomana for this positive change and also the leadership of Commanding Officer Yelly Oiufa."
The new bus now stands as a symbol of years of commitment, learning, and rehabilitation by the Female Wing Bakery section, which grew from humble beginnings into a program capable of supporting itself and contributing to the wider rehabilitation efforts at Bomana Prison.
