Empowering Women Behind Bars: Livelihood Skills Training as a Catalyst for Rehabilitation and Reintegration

Abstract

This study examines the impact of a soap-making training program on selected Women Persons Deprived of Liberty (PDLs) in Iligan City. Twenty (20) PDL women were purposely chosen to participate in the hands-on training, which was jointly organized by the Iligan City Bureau of Jail Management and Penology (BJMP) and the Department of Science and Mathematics Education of the College of Education under University We Care Office. The initiative aimed to introduce practical livelihood skills that could support the participants’ reintegration into society upon release. Throughout the activity, the PDL women demonstrated strong engagement and expressed deep appreciation for the time, attention, and opportunities extended to them. Many participants shared that the training renewed their sense of hope and self-worth, noting that being included in such programs made them feel recognized as valuable individuals. Several women emphasized that the skills gained from soap-making could serve as a viable livelihood option once granted freedom, allowing them to pursue honest work instead of returning to illegal activities that previously led to their incarceration. The PDL women also conveyed eagerness for more capacity-building activities, expressing that such training can support their transition “from bars to bars of soap,” symbolizing a positive shift toward productive and dignified futures. Overall, the soap-making training not only imparted technical skills but also fostered motivation, empowerment, and renewed optimism among the PDL women. Through this initiative, they are beginning to craft clean and sustainable futures, highlighting the transformative potential of skill-based rehabilitation programs in correctional settings.