First Lady launches Shimo la Tewa Chandaria Workshop and Carakana Program
In a landmark event aimed at reshaping rehabilitation efforts in Kenya’s correctional services system, First Lady Rachel Ruto officially launched the Shimo La Tewa Chandaria Workshop and Carakana Program.
The initiative is a collaborative effort between the Chandaria Foundation, a longstanding champion of philanthropy and social impact in Kenya, and the State Department for Correctional Services, with operational support from Carakana, a nonprofit organization known for its unique approach to rehabilitation through the traditional art of cross-stitching.
The Shimo La Tewa Women’s Prison, which holds 135 inmates and 7 accompanying children, now joins a growing list of prison facilities, including Langata, Kisumu, Nakuru, Kakamega, and Kitale, that are embracing Carakana’s integrated training model. Women at the facility will have access to specialized units in bakery, tailoring, and textiles, and ICT training, with a newly launched Carakana Cross Stitch Studio offering a therapeutic space for creativity and healing.
The official ceremony was also graced by the Principal Secretary for Correctional Services, Salome Beacco; Commissioner General of Prisons, Patrick Mwiti, Priti Chandaria; Mombasa County Woman Representative, Zamzam Chimba; Kisauni Member of Parliament, Rashid Bedzimba among others.
Describing the new workshop as “a sanctuary of second chances and a workshop of hope,” the First Lady emphasized the transformative power of dignity, community, and economic opportunity, especially for women navigating life behind bars.
“Every woman, regardless of her past, deserves the chance to rebuild her life with dignity, purpose, and hope,” the First Lady said during the launch ceremony.
Since its inception in 2016, Carakana has trained over 1,500 incarcerated women, reaching over 7,000 beneficiaries and generating over Sh23 million in income for participants through the sale of their handcrafted works.
The First Lady shared her own deeply personal connection to the program, recounting how her childhood passion for cross-stitching evolved into a mission to empower women in prison with art and skills that promote introspection, community, and income generation.
“Carakana brought us together in community, women sharing stories, healing together, and building resilience,” she noted.
The initiative marks a critical step in turning Kenya’s prisons into incubators of empowerment and social enterprise, promoting not only rehabilitation but sustainable reintegration into society.
“As the country continues to grapple with reintegration challenges and prison overcrowding, the Shimo La Tewa Chandaria Workshop stands as a beacon of what’s possible when vision, compassion, and collaboration converge,” she noted.
The First Lady graced the ceremony with gifts for the incarcerated women that included 21 water tanks, 10 cartons of tissues, 8 cartons of milk, 40 mattresses, 8 cartons of soap, 10 boxes of sanitary pads, and a tender to stitch 100 sweaters for an institution.
The Principal Secretary, State Department for Correctional Services, Salome Beacco, highlighted that the workshop is a model of rehabilitation that focuses on restoration and not punishment.
Beacco stressed the importance of inclusive, participatory rehabilitation programs developed with input from inmates and communities, ensuring sustainability and dignity. Citing research, she noted that vocational training reduces recidivism and supports national goals under Kenya Vision 2030 and the Bottom-Up Economic Transformation Agenda.
“We intend to move away from the one-size-fits-all approach to prison work. We are committed to programmes that are inclusive, responsive, and developed in consultation with prisoners, former inmates, and the communities to which they will return. This participatory approach ensures relevance, sustainability, and dignity in rehabilitation,” the PS said.
She acknowledged the broader impact of such initiatives in promoting prison safety, inmate discipline, and staff morale. She also expressed deep gratitude to the Chandaria Foundation and praised the First Lady for her visionary leadership in championing women’s empowerment through initiatives like Carakana.
The Mombasa County Woman Representative, Zamzam Chimba, hailed the initiative as a bold reaffirmation of dignity, opportunity, and second chances for women in prison.
She underscored the multiple vulnerabilities incarcerated women often face, including poverty, broken homes, and gender-based violence, and called for a justice system that embraces healing, transformation, and reintegration.
She praised the program for offering both practical skills and creative therapy, enabling women to rebuild their identities and futures.
Zamzam also highlighted the facility as a model of successful collaboration between government, civil society, and development partners, united in the mission to empower and uplift.
