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Handcrafts made by inmates on sale at Adihex

Abu Dhabi - The training programme is part of the rehabilitation programmes for the prison inmates and is aimed at equipping them with the skills required to live a self-reliant life when they have been released from the jail.

Beautiful handmade art and crafts by prison inmates are hogging eyeballs at the Abu Dhabi International Hunting and Equestrian Exhibition (Adihex). 
The handicrafts include coffee tables, food trolleys and wooden boxes for saving coins are some of items showcased and on sale at the Abu Dhabi Police Punishment and Correction Department's stand.
The handmade art pieces, mostly traditional Emirati home accessories such as boxes, coffee tables, holders, clothes and 'qua', the typical outdoor low tables used for preparing Arabic coffee and tea on opened charcoal fire were made by inmates at Al Wathba Central Jail.
"All these art items on display were handmade by our inmates," said Fahad Abdullah Al Ali from Al Wathba Central Jail. "The majority of these art pieces are created within a week although the more elaborate ones require more than a week of handcrafting."
The handicraft items are on sale at the Adihex with prices starting from Dh500. He said that the punishment and correction department has a training programme at Al Wathba central jail that teaches inmates to create different handmade art crafts.
"Trainers show them how to work with wood, metal or cloth to make and how to design crafts inspired by Emirati heritage," said Al Ali.
"We have about 115 inmates, all serving between 10 to 15 years, enrolled in the training programme. All these inmates are paid for their work. The programme is split into five different sections with about 30 inmates making clothes, some make furniture while around 50 are involved in handicrafts."
The training programme is part of the rehabilitation programmes for the prison inmates and is aimed at equipping them with the skills required to live a self-reliant life when they have been released from the jail.
A number of inmates have benefitted from such programmes and have been able to finance and support their families following their release, according to the police.
ismail@khaleejtimes.com