By Chantelle Muzanenhamo
AS the festive season approached, the Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Service (ZPCS) at Beitbridge Prison created moments of joy and emotional healing for inmates through a successful Family Week programme held from 8 to 14 December 2025.
Speaking to Ziyah News Network , ZPCS Public Relations Officer Reaboka Dube said the initiative came at a critical time, when many families are usually reunited during the holidays, making it especially meaningful for inmates who are often separated from their loved ones.
“The family week programme that ran from the 8th to the 14th of December was remarkable and one to remember, as it strengthened and bonded family ties,” he said.
“The ZPCS family as a whole gave an opportunity to inmates to be visited by their beloved ones from society,” he said.
Beitbridge Prison recorded large numbers of visitors each day, a development Dube said added colour and significance to the programme.
The high turnout reflected strong community support and contributed to the overall success of the event.
He also acknowledged the role played by various stakeholders, noting that their involvement added value to the rehabilitation efforts.
Several church organisations participated in the programme, including the Baptist Church, Salvation Army, and the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, which conducted gospel preaching and counselling sessions aimed at offender rehabilitation.
“The visits from different churches contributed a lot, especially in rehabilitating offenders through the preaching of the gospel,” Dube said.
In addition, Young Women for the President, an affiliate organisation supporting His Excellency President Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa, donated hampers to female inmates at the facility, further uplifting morale during the Family Week.
The programme concluded on a celebratory note when one inmate’s birthday was marked in the presence of family members and other attendees, symbolising the spirit of unity and compassion that defined the week.
Overall, Dube described the Family Week as “a glamorous and blessed event,” underscoring ZPCS’s continued commitment to rehabilitation, reintegration, and the preservation of family connections within the correctional system.