Signage-designing skills acquired by offenders behind bars have empowered disadvantaged schools.
The need for school signage at Mchaka Secondary School in Bushbuckridge was identified earlier this year during the back-to-school campaigns, when the minister of justice and correctional services, Ronald Lamola, was handing over furniture. The school did not have street signage, wall signage or school safety signs.
The Barberton Management Area intervened through the skill of one of its offenders, Sipho Mdohokwane. Mdohokwane’s talents were discovered during level 5 lockdown, when the offenders were encouraged to write on the walls as part of creating awareness about Covid-19.
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“I developed passion for fine art during lockdown. To avoid idling, we started a graffiti project in which we were painting walls to create awareness. I excelled and that made me realise that I have a passion for fine art,” he said.
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All signage were officially handed over to the school by Bushbuckridge Community Corrections on August 27.
