Pastor Dorcas Rigathi visited Kendege prison, in the interior parts of Kuria East Constituency, where the inmates planted 500 tree seedlings on Friday.
The spouse of the Deputy President Pastor Dorcas Rigathi led in the tree planting exercise in the expansive prison compound that spans 46 acres and holds 150 inmates.
Migori County First Lady Dr Agnes Ochilo, and spouse to the Deputy Governor, Dr Evelyne Mahiri, Kuria East MP, Kitayama Marwa, security and prison officers joined in the exercise.
Kendege area in Kehancha is part of the area where the office of the Deputy President (ODP) is targeting to grow some of the two million trees annual target in line with the Presidential Directive of planting 15 billion trees by the year 2032.
Pastor Dorcas commended the inmates for planting trees, and pushing back on the negative effects of climate change.
“I am grateful for the work you have done in planting trees, and greening the environment,” said Pastor Dorcas.
As a part of the outreach program for the men in prisons, Pastor Dorcas urged the inmates to reset their minds, as their thoughts would direct how their lives would unfold towards success or failure.
“Regardless of what you have done, you have a second chance for life. Reset your mind, here in prison, learn a skill, for as a man thinketh so is he. According to your thoughts, you will succeed or fail,” said Pastor Dorcas.
She committed to be the voice of the boy child who is voiceless including thousands in prison.
Regional Commander Prisons, Patrick Nyaachi, said that Nyanza region had 16 stations, with 7630 inmates.
“I hope you (Pastor Dorcas) find time to visit all the other stations in Nyanza, and maybe when the inmates hear your voice, they shall change their minds, hearts and ways,” said the Regional Commander.
Migori First Lady, Dr Ochillo told the inmates that the father was a prison officer, and she grew up within the prisons walls for many years. She said the prison environment had significantly changed in comparison to years back.
Dr. Ochillo challenged the inmates not to return to their homes the same way they came, but to learn a skill. “Return to your family as a skilled man who is not a burdern,” she said. “Prison is not a place of suffering, but rehabilitation,” she added.
The spouse of the Deputy Governor, Dr Mahiri, said, “I am happy Pastor Dorcas made time and purposed to reach every boy, even here in Kendege. This is a firm example that we should follow in reaching the boys and men in our society.”
In the past, Pastor Dorcas has visited Rumuruti Prison, Kiambu Prison, and Nyeri Maximum (Kingongo) Prison, and Chuka Prison as part of the boy child preventive program of growing a whole man and boy.
