SILIVENUSI Saikaba held on the belief that he would safely return to and be welcomed by his family through the Yellow Ribbon Program after serving his custodial sentence.
That belief was grounded in the love, courage, support he knew was waiting for him from his family despite being incarcerated for six months.
In a sombre ceremony last Thursday, Fiji Corrections Service officials accompanied Mr Saikaba to his mother and grandparents at their home in Lawai, Nadroga.
"While incarcerated at the corrections facility, I learnt to be patient, use time wisely, discipline and I commend the corrections officers for their guidance," he said in a FCS statement.
Mr Saikaba said he would apply whatever he learnt at the corrections facility in his daily life.
"I will now focus on farming so that I can earn a living because we cannot entirely depend on our parents, so we have to stand on our own feet in order to meet the daily necessities," he said.
The statement said Mr Saikaba was warmly greeted by his family and close relatives, who eagerly awaited his return.
"Our main focus now is the rehabilitation of inmates who come through our gate and focussing their goals in the new direction," the statement said.
The FCS mandate is to reduce recidivism or repeating by ex-offenders by 25 per cent in 2014.