HOME Affairs Deputy Minister Justin Chilufya has appealed to the Church to support initiatives aimed at giving skills to inmates in prisons in Zambia.

Mr Chilufya said Government supported any initiatives that aimed at giving inmates skills which would be used after their release from prison.

He was speaking when he launched the "Sound of love project" at Kamfinsa State Prison in Kitwe yesterday, an initiative of the Prisons Fellowship of Korea.

Such activities, Mr Chilufya said, would help inmates learn meaningful living and facilitate their integration into the community.

"May I make an appeal to the Church in Zambia to emulate the Korean Churches which, through their financial support, have helped in the implementation of this project here at Kamfinsa Prison," Mr Chilufya said.

He said the "Sounds of love" project initiated by Dr Yohgjib Kim, vice chairman of Prisons Felowship in Korea was one of the projects which was providing idle inmates with an opportunity for meaningful activities.

"This prison-based project provides basic technology and supplies for the creation and operation of a recording studio," he said.

Mr Chilufya noted that the enlisted prisoners recorded and duplicated audio recordings of the Bible and other books for the visually impaired, illiterate and other people who were too ill or weak to read.

The deputy minister said partnerships such as the ones Government had with the prisons fellowship in Zambia (PFZ) should be encouraged.

Mr Chilufya said he was aware that PFZ, besides the "sounds of love" project at Kamfinsa, was running a Vocational Training School at Kansenshi Prison in Ndola specialising in tailoring and designing.

"Such activities will help prisoners turn from beneficiaries to benefactors, and if we can manage to help prisoners to help the community, the process of restoration will have began and can be achieved," he said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Commissioner of Prisons Jethro Mumbuwa commended Dr Kim for the goodwill which Korea had shown to Kamfinsa State Prison.

Mr Mumbwa said the sounds of love project was the first of its kind in the country.

"Love is cardinal because everybody needs it and it can encourage, motivate and inspire us all," he said.

He also appealed to inmates to put the equipment to good use.

And PFZ vice national chairman Kunda Kalifungwa said being in prison was not for punishment but for reformation.

He said there was need for prisoners to reform and remain committed christains once they were released.