Vcare for Development Foundation, Sterling Oil Expand Reform360 Rehabilitation Programme for Incarcerated Women

Image Caption: A cross section of participants pictured with facilitators at female Custodial Facility, Kirikiri, Lagos State

 

• Reform360 Initiative supports skills development, rehabilitation and reintegration for women in correctional facilities

 

Incarcerated women in Nigeria’s correctional facilities are breathing new lives as they are equipped with new tools to not just face life in custody, but also become productive once they regain their liberty. This is as Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF) in partnership with the Nigerian Correctional Services (NCoS), the Centre for legal Support and Inmate Rehabilitation (CELSIR), with the support of Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Co. Ltd (SEEPCO); recently launched the Reform360 Rehabilitation Programme at the Lagos female custodial centre.

The Reform360 is a life changing initiative designed to help incarcerated persons restore hope, reconnect with self, and reintegrate with society by equipping them with practical skills for life beyond the custodial facility. The programme delivers holistic empowerment through mental health first-aid training, legal literacy on gender-based violence, enterprise development, vocational skills, and sustainable entrepreneurship.

According to a statement by VCDF, over 200 women who participated in the entrepreneurship training have moved from passive beneficiaries to active contributors as they shared key learning points in bookkeeping, customer relations, e-commerce, low-cost start-ups and business management. Some of them are learning vocational skills such as tailoring, plant-based food wraps, Adire textiles and bakery which have marked a turning point in their lives.

The initiative also deals with lifestyle and behavioural change as through intensive mental health sessions, participants gained competencies in emotional regulation, anxiety management, and adversity intelligence. Many women expressed immediate relief from anxiety and isolation.

A participant who preferred to keep her anonymity stated:

“I used to sleep 3 to 4 hours with hardly any rest. Now I sleep better. I practise breathing exercises, and i do not panic about hearing dates or my family. The anger management session healed me. I learnt to stop reacting to every little thing”.

Another female beneficiary said the programme changed how she viewed entrepreneurship, noting that she once believed a business could only start with substantial capital. “Now I know I can begin with what I have,” she said.

A fellow participant described arriving in custody feeling lost and overwhelmed. “Today, I feel like a light,” she said, adding that she now practises self-care with limited resources and is planning a small business for life after release.

A cell elder said, “Indeed, healing begins with mental health because i now see a clear path. I can help a fellow woman who is struggling; and can run a small trade when i go home and sustain myself”.

Beyond skills training, participants are supported to continue their formal education. Through its ASPIRE scholarship initiative, Vcare for Development Foundation (VCDF) has funded the General Certificate Examination (GCE) for 200 women in custodial centres across Nigeria.

Commenting on the programme’s impact, Beatrice Onyemachi, Deputy Controller of Corrections, noted that participants demonstrated renewed focus and motivation. She said the women were learning to plan for more fulfilling futures, adding that group counselling and peer support sessions helped reduce stigma and encouraged help-seeking behaviour. According to her, these outcomes reflect the strength of VCDF and CELSIR’s approach.

The initiative aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals and is designed to support reinvention, reconnection and reintegration for women in correctional facilities.

Sterling Oil Exploration and Energy Production Co. Ltd. (SEEPCO) has reaffirmed its commitment to supporting such interventions through its corporate social responsibility framework. With SEEPCO’s continued support, VCDF aims to sustain programmes that uphold dignity and improve socio-economic outcomes for vulnerable populations across Nigeria.