Mombasa Senator Mohamed Faki has urged inmates at the Shimo La Tewa Prison to take advantage of vocational skills offered in prison to rebuild their lives once they complete their sentences.

Speaking during a visit to the correctional facility in, the senator urged the prisoners to use their time behind bars productively by mastering skills such as carpentry, masonry and tailoring.

Faki told the inmates that the knowledge and practical skills they gain in prison could help them become self-reliant and reintegrate successfully into society after their release.

"You should take advantage of the skills that you acquire here, whether it is masonry, tailoring, carpentry or any other skill, and use it when you get out of jail,” said Faki.

He reminded the inmates that being in prison does not mark the end of their lives and urged them to remain hopeful and focus on building a better future.

"Being here is not the end of the world. What matters is how you prepare yourself for the day you will walk out of these gates,” he said.

The senator also shared a personal story about his own family to encourage the inmates, revealing that his brother was once jailed following the failed 1982 Kenyan coup attempt but later rebuilt his life after learning a trade while in prison.

"My own brother was jailed after the 1982 coup, and while in prison he mastered the skill of carpentry. Up to today he still practices carpentry and earns a living from it,” Faki told the inmates.

He urged the prisoners to maintain a positive mindset and prepare themselves to become responsible members of society once they complete their sentences.

“You need to have positive thinking. When you get out, be good ambassadors and show society that you can change and contribute positively,” he added.

The visit formed part of efforts by leaders and stakeholders to encourage rehabilitation and reintegration of inmates through skills development and mentorship programs within correctional facilities.