As part of the reintegration programs promoted by the Ministry of Justice in prisons throughout the country, eight inmates from the Tacumbú National Penitentiary in Asunción found an opportunity to become successful entrepreneurs.
These inmates work in a leather workshop, where they manufacture high-end leather-covered business marketing products that have caught the attention of several private companies.
The leather goods workshop was created with the aim of providing the inmates with the opportunity to develop skills and knowledge that allow them to be productive people and manage their own business upon release, rather than falling back into a life of criminality. According to the institution, the quality of the products produced in the Tacumbú penitentiary stands out from the rest.
Among the items ready for delivery are personalized thermoses covered in genuine unborn leather, tanned cow leather, suede leather and top-of-the-line imitation leather, with embroidered logos, double rings and grab handles. The demand was such that sales exceeded 150 units, although a smaller volume is currently handled. Another notable product is the leather document folders for truck drivers, custom made to keep the driver’s papers at hand.
The workshop has received a significant investment in industrial sewing machines, embroidery machines and design computers, which are used by inmates from 5:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. The leader of this venture is Julio César Agüero, 52 years old, an enterprising and thriving inmate who learned the trade from other inmates and managed to position himself in the business with his work team.
Thanks to the excellent sales results, the company Paola Comercial decided to bet on the marketing of these prison-made products. The company, owned by Paola and Carlos López, located on the Transchaco route, in Mariano Roque Alonso, is dedicated to general branches in the livestock sector. Thermos sets are the most requested products and sell out quickly.
Social reintegration has already taken place with several people released. Julio César Agüero, recognised by everyone in the prison, left behind his criminal past that cost him a 20-year sentence for drug trafficking and the loss of 22 years of service as a police officer, as well as the distance from his youth friends in his hometown, Altos, in Cordillera.
Throughout his 10 years of imprisonment, Agüero had the support of his wife and four children. In addition, he acquired knowledge in refrigeration and electricity through the National Professional Promotion Service (SNPP), a program of the Ministry of Justice. Sales allow him to generate income to cover his expenses and help his family, while the business projection predicts a promising future as an independent entrepreneur.
Those interested in placing orders can contact the telephone number +595 (0) 984 363 793.
