Since 1996 the Readucate Trust has operated in prisons. Krugersdorp Prison in Gauteng Province was the first to invite Readucate to train some of their officers and literate prisoners to become Readucate Instructors.
This pioneer course was sponsored by the Standard Bank Foundation and Ithuba.
The Readucate Instructors became rehabilitated and in turn rehabilitated the illiterate inmates they were teaching.

It was so successful that Boksburg Prison invited Readucate to run a course there.
This was again sponsored by the same donors It was here that a prisoner who had been a gang leader while incarcerated, said that since becoming a Readucate Instructor he had "become addicted to teaching".

Since then, with the fantastic and ongoing co-operation of the Department of Correctional Services and donations from such donors as the Vodacom Foundation, Sanlam Investment Management, the London based Centre for Social Development and others, Readucate now operates in 23 prisons in five provinces.
The programme has been featured in national radio and television broadcasts.

"Prisoners are begging for more Readucate as they see how it changes lives," said Marion Johnson, Prcinpal Education and Head of ABET training at Pretoria Central Prison.

Nothing is more exciting than to see hardened criminals, men and women, begin to realise that they can be useful, that they have good in them and can bring the good out in others. Nothing is more exciting than to hear a prisoner say, "You're the first to treat us like human being and to give us hope for the future." The sad part is that often prisoners are transferred to prisons where, due to lack of funding, Readucate does not operate.
Thus the Readucate Instructors' newly acquired skills are lost while the adult learners cannot complete their language/communication/reading/life skills courses because there might not be a Readucate Instructor at the new prison to continue upgrading their skills.

At present it is estimated that about 80% of released prisoners return to crime in South Africa. Because the Trust encourages Readucate Instructors to start their own Readucate Centres as small businesses, released Readucate Instructors have an honest means of livelihood as well as the opportunity to give back to their communities and make up for causing them suffering their their criminal activities.

Please help us establish Readucate in every one of the 258 prisons in South Africa so that we have to build a great, crime-free nation.

Further donations would enable us to assist released adult prisoners who are anxious to establish "halfway" houses for released juvenile offenders. It is envisaged that young people would enroll for three months during which they would learn a sport, a money-making skill and to read. The ex-prisoner tutors would need payment of salaries, while equipment and premises would also be needed. Please help us establish this marvellously innovative crime preventative centre urgently to prove its efficacy so that it can be duplicated throughout South Africa and the world.

The Director of Formal Education would like Readucate to operate in every prison, but substantial funding is required for this noble vision to become a reality. If you would like to contribute to the prison project, please CONTACT US.