The inmates of Arorangi prison have been learning valuable skills thanks to the help of Sister Margaret O’Dwyer of the Daughters of Charity, as well as donations of money and equipment by the Rotary and Rotaract clubs of Rarotonga.
Mousie Skews has been hosting Alan Eyes, current Rotary District Governor for District 9920, and his wife, Claire Eyes, to show them the projects that the local Rotary and Rotaract Clubs have been involved in. Skews is the Assistant Governor to Alan Eyes and in her role as Assistant Governor she is responsible for the Apia, Nuku’alofa, Pago Pago, Savaii and Rarotonga Rotary Clubs. Alan Eyes looks after 48 clubs in the district, including clubs throughout New Zealand and seven Pacific Island countries. The tour on Thursday, which included visits to various sites around Rarotonga, included a visit to Arorangi Prison.
According to Skews, Arorangi prison has benefitted substantially thanks to the joint efforts of Rotary, Rotaract and Sister Margaret O’Dwyer. “We donated $700 for Sister Margaret to help with the literacy programme, to buy the books. The bandsaw, we donated to help them – so instead of sanding by hand, they’ve got that. Then Rotaract installed a UV water filter - Rotaract is the younger version of Rotary – from age 18 to 30.”
The projects Sister Margaret has been working on at the prison involve teaching inmates new skills that assist with their rehabilitation. The range of skills the inmates have been learning include Sketching, Music tuition (including violin), literacy and numeracy, life skills and even a financial literacy class in April. Sister Margaret commented on a bigger project they are working towards. “We have a dream of renovating a building in the back, for education.” She expressed that Rotary, particularly Maureen Hilyard, had been incredibly supportive of the idea. She also emphasised that the success of the project so far would not have been possible without support from volunteers, as well as financial support from POBOC and Rotary.
Sister Margaret has been working with the inmates since 2005. “I am an advocate of Saint Vincent de Paul, who is the founder of our [Daughters of Charity] community. Vincent was called on to work with the people who are most marginalised, and to see in each person the face of god. When I looked around I kind of felt like inmates are often the most marginalised on the island.” The volunteer tutors for this project go to Arorangi prison at least once a week on Thursday mornings, but often they will spend additional time there. An example of this is when they are needed to help tutor for the University of the South Pacific, who offers classes to the inmates, with lessons held within the prison.
Alan Eyes commented on the work being done at the prison, describing it as “very impressive and humbling.” Skews expressed that the projects at the prison would continue, saying “There’s still some other things we want to do to help them. “ Three of the inmates performed two songs for the guests that toured the prison, where they showed their skills and creativity in singing, guitar, ukulele, violin and MCing (or “rapping”). The songs themselves were written by another inmate. How this has helped the inmates can perhaps be measured through the expression of gratitude. One of the musicians commented on having the opportunity to create and express his feelings through music, “...it helps change your life. When I’m playing it just lets everything out.”
-Ngariki Ngatae

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