Inmates in Pathum Thani get entrepreneurial skills
Initiative in women's jail helps equip prisoners for return to society
A BUSINESS-PLAN contest took place behind bars late last month as part of efforts to equip inmates with entrepreneurial skills.
Because many former inmates find it hard to get hired, a number of organisations are working together to help current inmates better prepare themselves for their return to society – and wouldn’t it be good if they could start up their own small business?
“I hope I can follow up on this business idea after I am released from jail,” a 23-year-old inmate said after her team was declared the winner of the contest.
Her team, Boom Boom, developed a plan to sell breast-firming cream. During their business-plan presentation, all team members interestingly danced to the tune of a popular song and made some sexy moves.
“We know all women wish to be beautiful. Our business, if it can really be set up, should do well,” said Kaeo (not her real name).
As a result of the three-day training workshop, she now knows how to price her product and is keen to go ahead with the business idea.
Organised by the Kenan Institute Asia and with the Citi Foundation as the sponsor, the workshop and the business-plan contest took place at the Pathum Thani-based Correctional Institution for Female Drug Addicts, with up to 80 inmates taking part in the training.
“I had much fun and felt so proud,” said Kaeo.
Although seven other teams did not win, they also enjoyed the training experience.
“We are going to set up Juice Shake drink stalls in front of shopping malls,” an inmate from one of the losers said about her team members’ dream business. “Such a stall requires little capital.”
Hassaya Hasitabhan, the Citi Foundation’s senior vice president for corporate affairs and head of corporate citizenship, said it would be a very good start if the former inmates could start their own business, no matter how small.
She said her organisation had held training on savings and money planning for female inmates many times before, but it had recently decided to include entrepreneurial skills, too.
“We have finally realised that it’s very hard for some former inmates to get a job,” she said, adding, “So, we have decided to guide them on how to become entrepreneurs.”
Thikumporn Wichienchur, director of the Pathum Thani correctional institution, said most inmates came from cash-strapped families and that, without jobs, their future could be doomed.
“If they can’t find jobs after their release, some will go back to the drug trade to avoid financial problems,” she said.
Thikumporn is therefore convinced that the right solution to the problem is to offer them vocational and entrepreneurial skills.
Job placements
Her facility has negotiated with many employers to arrange job placements for former inmates, she added.
“Even though we can help many former inmates, there was one incident that made us seriously consider the need to give inmates some entrepreneurial skills,” Thikumporn disclosed.
She said that after receiving a report that some items had gone missing, an employer suddenly fired all 10 former inmates without ordering any investigation.
“That’s when I thought perhaps former inmates should be taught to earn a living independently,” Thikumporn said.
Niramol Thamjarern, the facility’s head of inmate development, said inmates were assigned to take classes or receive vocational training based on their age and their interest. “For example, we teach sewing and rubber-cutting,” she said.
Trained inmates are also paid for their work, she said, though some parts of the wages also go the Corrections Department and the correctional facility itself.
“There are many kinds of jobs, including call-centre-service positions, here,” she added.
Thikumporn said inmates were required to open a savings account with the Government Savings Bank, where their wages are deposited, and can withdraw all the money only upon their release.
Sai (not her real name), who is serving her second jail term for drug convictions, said she had now learned to save money.
“I used to spend all the money I had, but not anymore,” she said.
Ying (not her real name), a 29-year-old inmate, said she was trying to turn her crisis into an opportunity.
“Now, I have taken a marketing course made available at the correctional facility by the Pathum Thani Technology College,” she said, adding,
“After I am released from jail, I will try to start up a business. I am interested in opening a clothes shop.
“I hope I can follow my dream. My wish is that I can take care of my four children and my mother.”
