Female inmates at the Guyana Prison Service (GPS) have made history by stepping into the boxing ring for the first time as part of the government’s efforts to strengthen rehabilitation and reduce recidivism.
The historic bout was held during the ninth annual Winfield Braithwaite Caribbean Schoolboys and Juniors Boxing Championships, where inmates Orina Silas and Shania Benjamin went toe-to-toe in a landmark contest.
The match marked what Guyana Boxing Association President Steve Ninvalle described as the first boxing fight involving female inmates in Guyana and potentially the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“First ever fight involving female inmates of the Guyana prison… quite possibly the first in CARICOM,” Ninvalle said.
The championship is being hosted by the Guyana Boxing Association in partnership with the Ministry of Culture, Youth and Sport.
The ministry’s support for sports development has helped create opportunities aimed at promoting discipline, empowerment and social rehabilitation.
It also forms part of a wider collaboration to reintroduce boxing into correctional facilities as a tool for rehabilitation, discipline and personal development.
This year’s championship features boxers from Guyana, Trinidad and Tobago, Antigua and Barbuda, St Maarten and St Lucia.
The historic participation of female inmates signals a new chapter for correctional sports in Guyana, with boxing being used not only as a competitive discipline but also as a means of building confidence, responsibility and resilience.
Meanwhile, male and female inmates at the GPS are participating in a structured boxing programme designed to support their rehabilitation.
It is also the first time female inmates have been exposed to this type of training programme.
Through the initiative, inmates are taught boxing skills while developing self-control, focus and discipline.
Participants are closely monitored by the coaching team, which ensures they follow proper techniques and safety guidelines during training to minimise the risk of injury.
The programme covers stance, balance and guard, footwork and distance management, offensive strikes, defensive techniques and head movement.
Inmates are also trained in combinations, timing and rhythm, pad work and heavy-bag drills, as well as hand wrapping, equipment maintenance and ring safety.
It gives inmates practical skills and constructive activities that can support their reintegration into society.