By Lisa Cabahug | Managing Director
Davao City Jail houses over 2,500 male persons deprived of liberty (PDLs) and several hundred females in their dormitories. Male PDLs have 4 sewing machines and thus take turns to sew shirts that give them an income while serving time. These 4 machines are inadequate to accommodate the learners and meet market demand.
The PDLs are paid weekly for their work. Before the sewing project, few family members visited their incarcerated loved ones. However, with funds earned by the PDL, his family is supported in their daily life. Now, 90% of the PDL sewers receive family visits, mostly to collect the PDL's wages but emotionally usustaining the PDL as well. As the spouses no longer need to look for outside economic support, the family structure remains intact. Thus no crimes of passion happen when the PDL regains his freedom. Recidivism has gone down.
For the female PDLS, the sewing machine is used for crafts, principally bag-making. The story is similar to the male PDLs, and it is mostly the children who come to collect the meager income of the PDLs from their sewing projects.
Aside from lessons in sewing, the PDL participantsundergo values formation, life skills.and high school education certification. The learning, combined with the technical skills in sewing, prepare the PDL for a secure living upon release.
The impact of the sewing machine goes beyond the immediate shirt that is sewn.
We hope for more donations to increase the number of machines and accommodate the many PDLs waiting for their turn.
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