39 Mississippi women inmates graduate from rehabilitation program

RANKIN COUNTY, Miss. (VDN) —

Thirty-nine women at the Mississippi Correctional Institute for Women (MCIW) have graduated from various phases of The Haven, an inmate-led rehabilitation program that began nine months ago.

Sixteen women completed the entire nine-month program and were scheduled to begin vocational programs, GED classes and seminary courses through New Orleans Baptist Theological Seminary. Other graduates were set to become facilitators within The Haven.

Throughout the program, participants completed classes covering codependency, forgiveness, trauma, parenting, anger management, emotional intelligence, grief, the 12 steps and leadership.

In total, participants and facilitators earned more than 620 certificates.

A graduation ceremony was held Sept. 29, 2026, in the women’s chapel, where family members and friends of participants gathered alongside MCIW community leaders, local church volunteers, Mississippi Department of Corrections staff and volunteers with Good Company, who prepared and served lunch.

The ceremony was filled with laughter and tears as families reunited, some for the first time in years. Several families had not maintained close communication for more than nine years, making the occasion an emotional opportunity to reconnect.

Dr. Ryan Wade served as the keynote speaker and delivered a message about the role of grace in each person’s life.

Graduating participants also performed a praise dance highlighting the message of redemption.

The Haven provides incarcerated women with opportunities for personal growth through a foundation of faith in Jesus Christ. The program also offers a safe environment for participants seeking to overcome drug use and unhealthy habits within the prison community.