The Rotary Club of Cagayan de Oro East Urban District 3870 recently conducted a Skills training program for the 25 inmates or Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDL) at the Cagayan de Oro City Jail under the Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) last August 23, 2023, in Lumbia, Cagayan de Oro City.
This project is under the Community and Economic Development key project area of focus of the Rotary projects. Thus this kind of livelihood program for which food processing training was taught to them.
1 And All Technical School, a TESDA-accredited school, provided the Food Processing training for these 25 inmates so that this training will give them income once they are out of jail. The training covers pasalubong or snack items that can be easily marketed. These include Polvoron making, Binangkal, and Banana Chips.
This is a project under President Bing Dacudao with its Director of Community Service Past President Guadalupe Chu and Chairman of the Economic and Community Development Rotarian Joy N. Co and was attended by 13 Rotarian members.
The Rotarians were able to witness the actual demonstration and hands-on training. President Bing Dacudao gave an inspirational talk explaining to the inmates the importance of the training and its expected benefits. There was also a response from the 5 inmates who expressed their gratitude for what they have learned and how this training
There was a distribution of starter gift packs for the 25 inmates which contained an apron, hairnet, bowl, wire whisk, and ladle. The club gave them an initial cash outlay representing the capital of the products.
The processed snack items they produce will be marketed and sold initially to the 80 members of the Rotary Club of Cdo East Urban so that they will generate capital and income to give them a start-up of their business while inside the jail.
The finished products of Polvoron, Binangkal, and Banana chips were specially identified to be taught to them as Cagayan de Oro being a tourist destination has a demand for pasalubong items. These are possible pasalubong items as we can use local produce like bananas as the main ingredient of these finished products.
This project not only gives them skills to equip them for future possible employment but it can be a home-based business.
This said training is fitting and in sync with the present theme of our Rotary year” Creating Hope in the World”. This laudable project creates hope for these 25 inmates as well as empowering women and sustainability of the project.
