DUBAI: Dubai Central Jail inmates are breaking new ground.
Besides furniture and handicraft items, they are now also making abayas and shaylas.
Recently, around 130 abayas created by them were showcased at an exhibition held at Bin Sougat Centre. These fetched between Dh300 and Dh3,000 apiece, adding to the revenue generated by the sale of products made by jail inmates.
Capt Adel Mubarak, Director of Supplies and Services at the General Department of Punitive and Correctional Establishment in Al Aweer at the Dubai Police, said income from sales of these products has jumped by about 45 per cent since 2006. "The Global Village is one of the main outlets for our products," he said.
From coffee tables, chairs, umbrellas and children's toys to abayas, shaylas and even antique horse carriage replicas, a wide range of products made by inmates are sold at leading outlets and supermarkets in the UAE, including Carrefour, Capt Mubarak said.
HIGH DEMAND
Several schools and universities organising annual bazaars seek these products, while Dubai Police and other government departments are also regular customers, he said, adding that two years back Nakheel had purchased wooden boxes worth Dh100,000 from them.
Besides earning income for the jail - around Dh512,000 last year according to a source, this reformist concept has twin benefits - keeping prisoners occupied and at the same time helping them learn a trade they can put to use when they leave prison.
REWARDING VOCATION
According to Capt Mubarak, around 140 out of about 2,000 inmates in the facility are involved in making these products, adding that five per cent of the net profit from the sales is distributed among these prisoners, who get a modest monthly salary of Dh200.
Lt Col Fawzia Al Mulla, Director of Dubai Women's Jail at the Dubai Punitive and Correctional Establishments at Dubai Police, said 40 inmates are involved in making abayas and shaylas.
