Sarah Omoka Adole is the first Corrections Officer from Nigeria to deploy to?.
Since her arrival in the Central African Republic in 2022, she has implemented pioneering initiatives that have advanced prisoner rehabilitation and built trust with local communities.
Her work promotes prisoner reintegration, societal cohesion and the reduction of recidivism, thus contributing to peace and security. The MINUSCA Corrections Unit contributes to the demilitarization of the prison system, strengthening the management of high-risk prisoners and enhancing the capacity of the national prison service.
Notably, Ms. Adole led a prison upcycling initiative that has become a model for national ownership, sustainability and community reintegration. She introduced innovative projects at the women¡¯s prison in Bimbo, including transforming waste materials into functional children playground equipment donated to local communities.
Ms. Adole¡¯s projects include training activities on carpentry and painting, often perceived as ¡°men¡¯s work¡±, facilitated by female instructors, empowering incarcerated women to challenge gender stereotypes and pursue similar vocations following their release and changing perceptions beyond the walls of prisons.
Ms. Adole is a vocal defender of the rights of detained women. In the Central African Republic, many women are imprisoned for non-violent offenses. Reintegration for these women is particularly complex.
Ms. Adole serves as a mentor at the women¡¯s prison, advocating for women¡¯s rights, enhancing detention conditions, and delivering professional training to prison staff in important areas such as security and the well-being of detainees.
By fostering trust between correctional institutions and local communities, promoting prisoner rehabilitation and restorative justice, and empowering women and vulnerable populations, Sarah Omoka Adole advances the MINUSCA mandate, strengthening the foundations of peace and security in the Central African Republic.
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