While most of the workers are yet to deal with their emotional scars, three of them have already put their past behind.
Meet 26-year-old Pritesh Singh from Uttar Pradesh, and 24-year-olds Sunil and Pankaj from Haryana, who are content with the jobs they received after being released from the jail. Now, all three go to prison but not as prisoners. Instead, they help the inmates in skill development.
Taking the charge
“While in prison, we were taught skills like sewing, stitching, computers and English proficiency. After being released from jail, we took up the roles of supervisors in the jails in our hometown,” said Singh, who takes courses in dancing and computers in a Ghaziabad jail. “We get the prisoners ready for the outside world,” he added.
When asked what had prompted them to take up this job, the three said, “It was a bad time for us, but we decided to utilise it. We didn’t lose hope. When we came out, we got the support of the India Vision Organisation to continue our lives as normal citizens,” said Pankaj, who works in a prison in Rohtak district.
Making a difference
The three are now determined to make a difference to the lives of prisoners.
“We want to impart the will to live among prisoners. Often, inmates lose faith in humanity and decide to take the wrong path. However, it’s important to constantly be told to lead life the right way,” said the three
The three believe that after experiencing the “ordeal” in this case, “anyone can be imprisoned with or without having committed a mistake”. Therefore the message is “to not lose faith in humanity”.
