Tag Archives: Scientology Volunteer Ministers

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Honored for Their Help in the Aftermath of Last Year’s Devastating Floods

FORLI, Italy /ScoopCloud/ -- On the anniversary of the May 2023 Emilia-Romagna floods, Forlì Mayor Gian Luca Zattini held an event to express his city's gratitude to the many volunteers who responded to help the region recover from the unprecedented disaster. Proud of their contribution, the Volunteer Ministers of the Scientology Churches of Italy were among those honored by the mayor and officials of several cities in the province of Forlì-Cesena.

In May 2023, rainfall inundated the region. Rivers overflowed, triggering landslides across Emilia-Romagna, displacing some 1,000 residents. Homes, businesses and agricultural land across the region suffered severe water damage, contributing to an estimated €8.8 billion in damage and economic loss. The one bright spot was the outpouring of help from the voluntary disaster response community.

Flood response is arduous but vital work: digging homes and businesses out of the mud, removing debris, shoring up damaged walls, removing and drying out carpets and furniture, disposing of flooring and walls contaminated with mold.

For weeks, Volunteer Ministers served in the region, taking on these tasks and distributing food, water and supplies. But they also provided the unique spiritual assistance they are known for.

Volunteer Ministers are trained to administer assists, techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that help people overcome the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. They used these techniques to help victims overcome fear, anguish, and hopelessness and restore peace of mind, making it easier for those who lost so much to deal with immediate challenges and plan for the future.

After the celebration to honor those who responded to the disaster in 2023, the Volunteer Ministers were invited to set up their signature yellow tents in Piazza Saffi, the main plaza of the city, to introduce residents and those attending the celebration from nearby cities to the Scientology Tools for Life. These are 19 free online courses that provide Scientology technology for bettering life's challenges, including relationship difficulties and overcoming barriers to setting and achieving goals.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service, developed in the mid-1970s. In an essay announcing the program, Mr. Hubbard wrote: "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Inspired by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, who called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man in the aftermath of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York, Volunteer Ministers of Italy formed Pro.Civi.Co.S, the Civil Defense Volunteers of the Scientology Community, which was entered into the registry of the National Department of Civil Defense the following year. Over the past two decades, Pro.Civi.Co.S and the Volunteer Ministers of Italy have responded to disasters at home and abroad, including the L'Aquila and Amatrice earthquakes in Italy, the South Asian tsunami of 2004, the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the 2019 Albania earthquake, and the 2020 Croatia earthquake.

Throughout the pandemic, they established and ran help lines, provided assistance to healthcare workers, saw to the needs of their communities, and sanitized churches, mosques, and other houses of worship, making it possible for them to safely serve their congregations. Their work is featured in the new feature-length film Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.volunteerministers.org/training/

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://youtu.be/Su1NKhyhIp8?si=LnIsxvJD8A47C7QI

On the anniversary of the May 2023 Emilia-Romagna floods, Forlì Mayor Gian Luca Zattini held an event to express his city's gratitude to the many volunteers who responded to help the region recover from the unprecedented disaster. Proud of their contribution, the Volunteer Ministers of the Scientology Churches of Italy were among those honored by the mayor and officials of several cities in the province of Forlì-Cesena.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers and Their Partners Provide Urgently Needed Help to Victims of the Rio Grande do Sul Disaster

RIO GRANDE DO SUL, Brazil /ScoopCloud/ -- Nearly a month since torrential rains triggered flooding, submerging much of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue to help disaster response agencies cope with the unprecedented destruction. While media are reporting 150 people have perished from the flood, those on the ground report the casualty rate is far higher. Many are without water, electricity and basic services. At least 600,000 have been displaced and much of the region is still underwater. Help is urgently needed.

The Church of Scientology Mission of São Paulo is coordinating Volunteer Minister activities in the region. In partnership with the Boy Scouts and civil firefighters, who have trained in Volunteer Minister technology, they are organizing and distributing supplies and providing Scientology assists to those devastated by the crisis. Assists are techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to provide relief from the mental and spiritual factors of trauma and stress, making it possible for victims of disaster to come to terms with their circumstances and take effective action to deal with them.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers international headquarters in Los Angeles flew a team of the legendary Los Topos disaster response specialists from Mexico to Brazil. Los Topos, who have partnered with the Volunteer Ministers on numerous disasters since 2010, is working with Brazilian military and civil defense to search for and rescue victims trapped in their homes and provide needed first aid.

In Mathias Velho, one of the hardest-hit areas, Volunteer Ministers are working alongside local firefighters, organizing donated supplies, food and water, and delivering them by boat to those stranded in flooded areas.

Scoutmaster Marcos Antonio Correia Santos, who is working with the Volunteer Ministers team, describes the region as "a war zone. People don't know what to do," he says. "They are afraid - you can see the fear on their faces."

"The suffering and pain is immense," says a Volunteer Minister who flew in from Guatemala to join the disaster response team. "They are going to need a lot of help."

Anyone wishing to donate time, supplies or equipment or to help those suffering from this crisis is urged to contact the Scientology São Paulo Mission. It is located at Rua Serra De Botucatu 1208 in São Paulo and can be reached at 011 2094-4214.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service, developed by Mr. Hubbard in the mid-1970s. In an essay announcing the program, he wrote: "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

With the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man. He issued a directive entitled "The Wake-Up Call," which has inspired exponential growth within the Volunteer Minister program.

Operation: Do Something About It is a feature-length film produced by Scientology Media Productions that documents the Volunteer Ministers' international response to the COVID-19 pandemic. It is available in 17 languages on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.volunteerministers.org/training/

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://youtu.be/Su1NKhyhIp8?si=LnIsxvJD8A47C7QI

Nearly a month since torrential rains triggered flooding, submerging much of the state of Rio Grande do Sul in Brazil, Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue to help disaster response agencies cope with the unprecedented destruction. While media are reporting 150 people have perished from the flood, those on the ground report the casualty rate is far higher.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Church of Scientology of Milano Shares Tools for Helping Victims Recover from the Emotional and Spiritual Consequences of Disaster

MILAN, Italy /ScoopCloud/ -- A World Civil Defense Day seminar for first responders at the Church of Scientology of Milano shared unique and simple technology for helping relieve the emotional and spiritual trauma that can affect disaster victims long after the incident is over. Studies show that not knowing how to help victims deal with these needs can take a toll on emergency response personnel: Their concerns over their ability to help can be a factor in burnout.

The seminar, held in the Chapel of the Church of Scientology of Milano, was organized by the Civil Protection Volunteers of the Scientology Community, Pro.CoviCo.S. Volunteers from five civil defense organizations attended: the Croce Viola Milano Ambulance Service, the Croce Verde Sempione, Associazione Nazionale Carabinieri ANC, 168 Nucleo VPC and Gruppo Comunale Volontari di Protezione Civile di Milano. These are men and women the community depends on whenever disasters strike, and the Pro.CiviCo.S volunteers wanted to provide them with resources to help them in their work.

A Scientology minister trained those attending the seminar on how to administer simple Scientology assists - techniques developed by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

The civil protection volunteers teamed up and practiced the assists on each other.

"I immediately had great physical relief. It relaxed me a lot," said one. "It was very easy," said another. Yet another appreciated how good it felt "to see you are helping."

Each participant was presented with the Volunteer Ministers booklet Assists for Illness and Injury and was invited to log onto the Scientology website to enroll on this and 18 other Scientology Tools for Life courses, available free of charge in 17 languages.

With the events of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man. He issued a directive entitled "The Wake-Up Call," which inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Minister program. In response, Volunteer Ministers of Italy formed Pro.Civi.Co.S, which was entered into the registry of the National Department of Civil Defense the following year.

Over the past two decades, Pro.Civi.Co.S and the Volunteer Ministers of Italy have responded to disasters at home and abroad, including the L'Aquila and Amatrice earthquakes in Italy, the South Asian tsunami of 2004, the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the 2019 Albania earthquake, and the 2020 Croatia earthquake.

Throughout the pandemic, they established and ran help lines, provided assistance to healthcare workers, saw to the needs of their communities, and sanitized churches, mosques, and other houses of worship, making it possible for them to safely serve their congregations. Their work is featured in the new feature-length film Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.org/churches/ideal-orgs/milano/

https://www.scientology-milano.it/

https://www.procivicos.it/protezione-civile-scientology/

https://www.procivicos.org/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.youtube.com/@procivicosonlus3537

https://www.scientology.org/2023-celebrating-the-ias/#volunteer-ministers

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

A World Civil Defense Day seminar for first responders at the Church of Scientology of Milano shared unique and simple technology for helping relieve the emotional and spiritual trauma that can affect disaster victims long after the incident is over. Studies show that not knowing how to help victims deal with these needs can take a toll on emergency response personnel: Their concerns over their ability to help can be a factor in burnout.

Related link: https://www.scientology-milano.it/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister Reached Out to a Friend With an Offer of Help and the Difference it Made

ATHENS, Greece /ScoopCloud/ -- In September 2023, Julia, a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Athens, reached out offering help to her friend Mariza in Volos, Greece. The city, some 200 miles away, was all but destroyed by Storm Daniel. Julia assembled a team and traveled some 200 miles to the coastal port city. They arrived with tools and supplies and helped residents and businesses recover from a disaster that some described as "Biblical" because of its unparalleled damage.

Joined by a team of Hungarian Scientologists, the Volunteer Ministers coordinated with civil protection and the fire department and began the grueling task of removing the mud and restoring order. More and more families and local volunteers joined in the project until every home in the area was mud-free and clean and they were ready to start planning needed renovation and restoration.

The Volunteer Minister's friend posted her heartfelt thanks and a video on her Facebook.

"Daniel hit all of Thessaly including my city Volos. There was devastation everywhere," she wrote. "And then, in the darkest of days, my friend Julia said she and her team wanted to come to help Volos in any way possible."

Mariza described how the volunteers took on the grueling work of cleaning up homes that were buried in mud and debris.

"They offered solidarity, support, cooperation and participation," she said, "words that take on a new dimension when they are put into action."

Mariza wrote of meeting Julia and her family 24 years ago, "and 24 years later, they proved to me how lucky I was to have met them and that they count me among their friends. I feel blessed."

Scientology Volunteer Ministers are trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, providing them with the skills they need to help "on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." The motto of the Volunteer Minister is that no matter the circumstances "Something can be done about it." Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as one who "does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit the nearest Church of Scientology or watch Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network, airing on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://en.scientology-athens.org/

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.org/2023-celebrating-the-ias/#volunteer-ministers

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

In September 2023, Julia, a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Athens, reached out offering help to her friend Mariza in Volos, Greece. The city, some 200 miles away, was all but destroyed by Storm Daniel. Julia assembled a team and traveled some 200 miles to the coastal port city.

Related link: https://en.scientology-athens.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Vienna Marked World Civil Defense Day by Sharing Their Unique Disaster Response Program With the Community

VIENNA, Austria /ScoopCloud/ -- Civil Defense Day is marked every year on March 1st. It is a time to share information that can help shield individuals and property from natural disasters, accidents, and other crises. Trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have helped countless victims recover from the emotional and spiritual stress and trauma of disaster. This year, the Church of Scientology Vienna commemorated the day by sharing its program with the community. Their Volunteer Ministers set up their bright yellow tent on Mariahilfastrasse, one of Vienna's most popular shopping streets, to share their disaster response tools with the community at large.

The technology Mr. Hubbard developed for the Volunteer Ministers program is now available through free online courses in 20 languages through the Scientology website. As a result, it is possible for anyone to learn and use these skills. Called the Scientology Tools for Life, these courses apply not only to major manmade and natural disasters such as bombings, fires and floods. They are equally effective for addressing personal and family crises caused by broken marriages, illiteracy and substance abuse.

Since the start of the pandemic, Volunteer Ministers have contributed more than 10 million hours of service as shown in the feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network. In South Africa alone, more than 25,000 individuals have completed all 19 Tools for Life courses and joined the ranks of the country's Volunteer Ministers helping in their communities, churches and schools.

The Church of Scientology Vienna is located at Capistrangasse 4. All are welcome to visit and learn more about Scientology and the humanitarian campaigns the Church supports.

Operation: Do Something About It is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.org/courses

https://www.scientology-ccvienna.org/

https://www.scientology-vienna.org/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

Civil Defense Day is marked every year on March 1st. It is a time to share information that can help shield individuals and property from natural disasters, accidents, and other crises. Trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have helped countless victims recover from the emotional and spiritual stress and trauma of disaster.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Helping First Responders Deal With the ‘Human Factor’ in Times of Disaster

MIAMI, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- America's emergency response personnel are heroes. They are dedicated to saving property and lives. But there is another factor in disaster relief: the ongoing spiritual and emotional consequences of disasters to both first responders and victims. Scientology Volunteer Ministers reached out at Disasters Expo USA 2024 in Miami March 6 and 7 to share simple techniques anyone may learn to help with this "human factor" that is so crucial to the quality of life.

Since 2005, when they were recognized as "Hurricane Heroes" for helping victims of Hurricane Charley, the state's Volunteer Ministers have responded to major disasters in Florida, nearby states, and throughout the Caribbean, earning them the respect of disaster and emergency response professionals for the quality of their care.

A team of these disaster response veterans set up their signature bright yellow tent at the expo and introduced those attending to the Volunteer Ministers program and its life-affirming technology.

In South Africa, the Gauteng Department of Health partners with the country's Volunteer Ministers to train its emergency and disaster personnel. "This Tools for Life skills program is not just theoretical training," said the station manager of Emergency Medical Services of the West Rand City municipality. "We also need help." He found these courses prevent burnout by addressing "real, daily life challenges."

"The Tools for Life made me more resilient," said the chief chaplain of the Gauteng Department of Health. They helped him find "the knowledge and strength that I can face more pressure going forward."

Those trained in this technology are far more able to interact with victims and help them overcome their trauma.

Among those presenting the program at the Disasters Expo USA booth were veterans of the Volunteer Ministers' response to Hurricane Ian, which wreaked havoc in Southwest Florida in 2022. Feedback from victims of that hurricane show the impact of the skills these victims have learned and use.

"We've been waking up every morning to this devastation," said one victim "and these guys are just the bright part of our day." "Now that you're here, I'm not overwhelmed anymore," said another. "I'm going to be able to survive this and put everything in my life back together. People helping people is the silver lining of the whole disaster."

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard developed the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program in the mid-1970s to empower people wishing to help those in need. "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well," he wrote.

The tools he developed for the program are now available as free online courses on the Scientology and Volunteer Ministers websites.

It is this training that makes the difference between someone who wishes he could help and someone who knows he can and does so whenever the need arises.

For the full impact of the Volunteer Ministers program, watch Operation: Do Something About It, a feature-length documentary on the Church of Scientology global response to the pandemic. Produced by Scientology Media Productions, the film is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network, available in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages, has earned 135 industry awards. From 2020 to 2023, the network introduced more than 20 million new people to Scientology.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.org/courses

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

America's emergency response personnel are heroes. They are dedicated to saving property and lives. But there is another factor in disaster relief: the ongoing spiritual and emotional consequences of disasters to both first responders and victims. Scientology Volunteer Ministers reached out at Disasters Expo USA 2024 in Miami March 6 and 7 to share simple techniques anyone may learn to help with this "human factor" that is so crucial to the quality of life.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Tools for Life Empower the South African ‘Green Angels,’ The Men and Women of the Gauteng Emergency Medical Services

MIDRAND, South Africa /ScoopCloud/ -- Through a series of seminars at Castle Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are empowering employees of the Gauteng Department of Health. These healthcare workers, in their bright green uniforms, have become known as the province's "Green Angels," because they, along with staff of affiliated chaplaincy and faith-based organizations who also attended the training, put their lives on the line to help others.

Ms. Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, Member of the Executive Council of the Gauteng Department of Health, who endorsed the partnership between her department and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, attended a ceremony last month where she congratulated 230 graduates of the program. She thanked the Scientology Volunteer Ministers "for their selflessness and humanitarian intervention," and for equipping her staff "with tools to bring change to society." For the more than 700 Gauteng Department of Health staff who have completed the program so far, "this training has brought change in their lives, and this needs to be done on a broad scale."

"This Tools for Life skills program is not just theoretical training," said the station manager of Emergency Medical Services of Westonaria, a town in the Rand West City municipality. In a video on the YouTube channel of the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, he said these courses "address real, daily life challenges." He sees this training as vital to prevent burnout and restore the well-being of his staff. EMS workers are often traumatized in their efforts to save lives. "We also need help," he said. And they have received that help from the Scientology Tools for Life.

The assistant director of a health and wellness organization shared the story of a colleague whose son was an addict. His impact on the family was devastating; his parents were on the brink of divorce. After his mother attended the Scientology Tools for Life training, she personally mentored him through the 19 courses. On completing them, he told her, "Mama, I'm ready to go to rehab. I want to change my life."

A pastor who serves as secretary general of a faith-based organization said that before taking part in the program, he thought he knew it all. But he soon realized this was something he needed to learn and use. The training sharpened his leadership and communication skills. "I saw how I could be a better person, a better leader in the work I do."

"The Tools for Life made me more resilient," said the chief chaplain of the Gauteng Department of Health. This program helped him find "the knowledge and strength that I can face more pressure going forward." He expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the Department of Health for finding and making these tools available to him and his staff.

The graduates of this partnership between the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the Gauteng Department of Health join more than 25,000 South Africans who have completed the 19 Scientology Tools for Life Courses and are using the skills they have gained to serve their communities. Available free of charge in 20 languages, including Sotho, Zulu, and Xhosa, these courses train the individual in technology developed for the Volunteer Ministers program by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, who referred to the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." They subscribe to the creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

For the full impact of South Africa's Scientology Volunteer Ministers, watch the new feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It. Produced by Scientology Media Productions, the film is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse, and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps, and via the Roku, Amazon Fire, and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages. Over the past three years, the network has introduced more than 20 million new people to Scientology.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/@vmafrica

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/@vmafrica

https://youtu.be/klfSXDlbgqs?si=7ATe904WlnAHzCNM

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://youtu.be/klfSXDlbgqs?si=7ATe904WlnAHzCNM

Through a series of seminars at Castle Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, the Scientology Volunteer Ministers are empowering employees of the Gauteng Department of Health. These healthcare workers, in their bright green uniforms, have become known as the province's "Green Angels," because they, along with staff of affiliated chaplaincy and faith-based organizations who also attended the training, put their lives on the line to help others.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

The Help of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers in Times of Disaster Great and Small and Wherever It Occurs

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- It was just under a year ago on February 6, that a 7.8-magnitude earthquake slashed through southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the earthquake displaced or disrupted the lives of 15.73 million people in Syria and Turkey including 2.5 million children. Scientology Volunteer Minister disaster response specialists from Tel Aviv mobilized immediately and were soon joined by VMs from Pakistan, India and the United States.

This personal account from one Israeli Scientologist shows the impact of the program on survivors and its lasting impression on the volunteers.

The day after the earthquake, an Israeli Scientologist received a call from a friend at the Scientology Center in Tel Aviv saying they had received official permission to bring a team of Volunteer Ministers as part of the country's response to the earthquake. On the VMs' arriving in Turkey, AFAD, the Disaster and Emergency Management Authority, assigned them help organize donations in government warehouses and distribute them to those in need.

"We soon found that supplies were not making it to families in the surrounding villages so we took on that task," said the Volunteer Minister.

For many, every home in their village was destroyed, and they were living nearby in tents. Entering an area like this, the volunteers would first visit the mukhtar, the village chief, who helped direct distribution of supplies.

"Every place we went, we were met with tears and hugs," said the Volunteer Minister. "These people had lost everything but hope. As many as 30 people were living in a single tent." And they expressed their amazement: first, that the team came from Israel and also that they were doing this work voluntarily.

One day they were approached by an English nonprofit that had received a donation of thousands of frozen pizzas but did not have the manpower to deliver them to the refugees. "We made pizzas with them and went to distribute them. The joy of the children was heaven!"

It was the children the volunteers were most concerned about. Whenever possible, they would bring something special for them-candy, a biscuit, a toy. The children's lives had been severely disrupted by the disaster. They would play soccer and other games with the children-anything to help extrovert them and orient them in their new surroundings.

"I stayed much longer than the week I'd planned for because it was simply the right thing to do," said the Israeli VM. After he returned home, dozens more volunteers arrived from Scientology organizations to continue the work. "I cherish the privilege that fell to me of being able to help people who really needed it."

For the past seven decades, in times of trouble and despair, the bright yellow jackets of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been a symbol of hope and a promise of help.

Wherever they go, Volunteer Ministers disaster response teams deliver Scientology assists. These are techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the mental and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. Assists can help victims of disaster orient themselves in the environment, free themselves from grief and hopelessness, and restore their peace of mind, making it possible for them to make the best of their circumstances and begin planning for the future. These simple techniques are easy to learn and the Volunteer Ministers help people log on to the Scientology website and enroll on the free Scientology Assists for Illnesses and Injuries course, which is available free of charge in 20 languages. This way, those they extend help to can continue to help others once the VMs have moved on to the next village or shelter.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service, developed in 1973. In an essay announcing the program, Mr. Hubbard wrote: "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Scientology Volunteer Ministers international response to the pandemic is documented in Operation: Do Something About It, a feature-length film produced by Scientology Media Productions that premiered on December 5, International Volunteer Day. Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://voicesforhumanity.tv

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btrgIqdyTUY

It was just under a year ago on February 6, that a 7.8-magnitude earthquake slashed through southeastern Turkey near the Syrian border. According to the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR), the earthquake displaced or disrupted the lives of 15.73 million people in Syria and Turkey including 2.5 million children. Scientology Volunteer Minister disaster response specialists from Tel Aviv mobilized immediately and were soon joined by VMs from Pakistan, India and the United States.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology in Africa: Five Years of Unconditional Help Since the Religion’s New Year’s Day Grand Opening

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa /ScoopCloud/ -- On the bright South African New Year's Day in 2019, when Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige dedicated the Scientology Advanced Organization and continental headquarters for Africa at Castle Kyalami, "COVID" was an obscure term known only to scientists and public health workers. But it soon entered the world's vocabulary when the first cases of the virus appeared. COVID-19 arrived in South Africa in March 2020 and the country went into lockdown.

Castle Kyalami coordinated the pandemic response of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers. Their dedication and hard work established the Scientology Volunteer Ministers among the heroes who made all the difference for the nation.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers sanitized police, fire, ambulance and paramedic vehicles, police and emergency service facilities, nearly 100,000 government facilities, and more than 11 billion square feet of spaces, train stations, whole fleets of buses. And some 14,000 taxis every day.

"The work that they've done, it is work that I'll never forget," said the executive mayor of Rand City West. "You came at a time when we were very terrified...fighting an enemy we can't even see. This ministry and this team thought of us. It's huge, the work you've done... Your presence reminds us that somebody cares about us."

The Volunteer Ministers inspired a grassroots movement. South African stakeholders, including government officials, religious leaders, police, educators and entrepreneurs, trained as Volunteer Ministers at Castle Kyalami. They are among the more than 25,000 South Africans who are helping in their communities having completed the 19 Scientology Tools for Life courses, available in 20 languages, including Sotho, Zulu, and Xhosa, free of charge through the Scientology website. These courses provide training on technology developed for the program by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

For the full impact of South African Volunteer Ministers' response over the past five years, watch the new feature-length documentary Operation: Do Something About It. Produced by Scientology Media Productions, the film is available on the Scientology Network on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streams at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#scientology-volunteer-ministers-help-at-risk-populations-in-south-africa

https://www.castlekyalami.org.za/

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#scientology-volunteer-ministers-help-at-risk-populations-in-south-africa

On the bright South African New Year's Day in 2019, when Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige dedicated the Scientology Advanced Organization and continental headquarters for Africa at Castle Kyalami, "COVID" was an obscure term known only to scientists and public health workers. But it soon entered the world's vocabulary when the first cases of the virus appeared. COVID-19 arrived in South Africa in March 2020 and the country went into lockdown.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Athens Helped Restore Hope to a Devastated Town

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- It was as though the town had been singled out by the ancient Greek Fates. No sooner had they recovered from a devastating flood that all but destroyed the city when the flood waters rose again and inundated the region. Learning the city was without power or clean water after Storm Daniel, the worst storm to hit the region in at least 80 years, Scientology Volunteers Ministers loaded a truck with drinking water, and navigating damaged roads, arrived in the town some 200 miles away with supplies, drinking water and a team of disaster-trained volunteers.

The overwhelming damage had left people feeling isolated and hopeless. In coordination with local authorities and the Orthodox and Evangelical churches, the volunteers helped clean up homes and businesses.

But a week later, Storm Elias struck. Residents described the damage as "biblical" and 10 times worse than what they'd just experienced, particularly in the suburb of Agria. Two rivers overflowed, engulfing the town and washing cars out to sea. When the water subsided, the town was submerged in mud.

Returning immediately, and joined by a team of Hungarian Scientologists, the Volunteer Ministers coordinated with civil protection and the fire department and began the grueling task of removing the mud and restoring order. More and more families and local volunteers joined in the project until every home in the village was mud-free and clean and they were ready to start planning needed renovation and restoration. Despite the despair in the aftermath of the storm, the town was imbued with a sense of community and optimism, ready to face the future.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers are trained in technology developed for the program by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, providing them the skills they need to help "on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." The motto of the Volunteer Minister is that no matter the circumstances "Something can be done about it." Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as one who "does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, visit your nearest Church of Scientology or watch Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network, airing on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://voicesforhumanity.tv

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=btrgIqdyTUY

It was as though the town had been singled out by the ancient Greek Fates. No sooner had they recovered from a devastating flood that all but destroyed the city when the flood waters rose again and inundated the region. Learning the city was without power or clean water after Storm Daniel, the worst storm to hit the region in at least 80 years, Scientology Volunteers Ministers loaded a truck with drinking water, and navigating damaged roads, arrived in the town some 200 miles away with supplies, drinking water and a team of disaster-trained volunteers.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

U.S. Scientology Volunteer Ministers in the Spotlight When a New Documentary Premiered on International Volunteer Day

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The UN's theme for this year's World Volunteer Day was 'the power of collective action.' And nowhere was that message exemplified more than the collective action of Scientology Volunteer Ministers everywhere in their response to the pandemic.

Volunteer Ministers gathered at the Church of Scientology Los Angeles and at Scientology Churches throughout the country for the U.S. premiere of the new documentary, Operation: Do Something About It. And when the curtain went up, these men and women in their bright yellow jackets found themselves in the starring role.

Operation: Do Something About It was released on World Volunteer Day in the U.S. and throughout the rest of the world on the following day. So U.S. Volunteer Ministers were the first to see the extraordinary impact of their collective action.

The film chronicles the global response of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers during the pandemic. It details the help extended to communities, other religions and essential services across six continents.

Scientology Churches invited their neighbors, friends and fellow volunteers they work with on various community initiatives.

After watching the film, a 28-year LAPD veteran expressed her appreciation for "how genuine the Church's help is for others."

A drug education activist who partners with the Church through its Truth About Drugs initiative was not aware of the Volunteer Ministers program before watching the film. "I was so impressed with what your Volunteer Ministers do around the world and what coordination you had in place for your logistics and all your actions during the pandemic."

The work of Scientology Churches around the world to educate their communities on how to stay well was what really impressed an ally who works with the Church on its human rights awareness initiative. "I can see how much help it provided to the different communities and areas where it was distributed."

"Without people like you helping, I don't know where we'd be," said a teacher who uses the Church's human rights materials. "The spirit of it is huge and how you helped all religions-it's all about humanity."

"It made me feel there is hope for humanity," said another attendee. "It was a very eye-opening documentary."

In a lecture in 1958, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard spoke of the philosophy that informs the Volunteer Ministers program and so many other aspects of Scientology: "Scientology helps people to help one another. This is the message of all prophets in all ages. Help one another. It is a formula for life that cannot fail. It is the message of Scientology."

Watch Operation: Do Something About It on the Scientology Network, airing on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

Since launching with an introduction by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in March 2018, the Scientology Network has been viewed in 237 countries and territories in 17 languages.

Satisfying the curiosity of people about Scientology and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n6sxsSt2Srg

The UN's theme for this year's World Volunteer Day was 'the power of collective action.' And nowhere was that message exemplified more than the collective action of Scientology Volunteer Ministers everywhere in their response to the pandemic.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

A Wish for a Joyful Holiday Season From the Church of Scientology

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- The holidays should be a time of joy. But challenges, problems and disappointments can cast a pall on the season. The Church of Scientology encourages anyone facing issues that threaten their happiness to take heart. Because, no matter the challenges, Something Can Be Done About It.

At a time of spiraling drug overdose and abuse, illiteracy, broken families, social upheaval and crime, it can seem that the odds are too great to hope for happiness and success. But Volunteer Ministers on six continents not only believe it is possible to set and accomplish personal and societal goals, they are doing so, empowered by the Scientology Tools for Life.

Operation: Something Can Be Done About It, the new documentary released this week on the Scientology Network, is a living example of what can be accomplished with the life skills available to everyone through the Volunteer Ministers program.

For more than 30 years, Scientology Volunteer Ministers, trained on the Scientology Tools for Life, technology developed for the program by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, have helped victims of disasters great and small and empowered countless others to overcome difficulties, resolve problems and achieve their goals.

Scientology Tools for Life courses are available free of charge in 19 languages through the Scientology website.

Watch Operation: Something Can Be Done About It to see the unprecedented response of the Church of Scientology and its Volunteer Ministers to the global COVID-19 pandemic and its extraordinary impact. Learn more about the Scientology Tools for Life by watching brief introductory films on all 19 tools on the Scientology Network. And enroll on the Scientology Tools for Life courses.

With our fondest wishes for a happy holiday season and that these tools help you ensure a bright future for you and those you love.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/courses

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/documentaries/operation-do-something-about-it.html

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

The holidays should be a time of joy. But challenges, problems and disappointments can cast a pall on the season. The Church of Scientology encourages anyone facing issues that threaten their happiness to take heart. Because, no matter the challenges, Something Can Be Done About It.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

The Motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is Something Can Be Done About It: No Matter When and No Matter Where

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Disasters, whether great or small, do not comply with the calendar. And whether the scope of the difficulty affects a single family, or hundreds of thousands or more, Scientology Volunteer Ministers live by the motto that no matter the difficulty, "Something Can Be Done About It."

Case in point was Christmas 2004. On December 26, a series of earthquakes triggered tsunamis: Towering walls of water 98 feet (30 meters) high crashed down on villages and cities of Indonesia, eastern India, Thailand and Sri Lanka, killing more than 230,000.

Within days, some 600 Scientologists from 28 nations arrived in the region where they brought help to 300,000 people devastated by the catastrophe. The work of these Volunteer Ministers served as a model for the organization and administration of Scientology disaster response operations at subsequent major catastrophes.

When tens of thousands were displaced by the 6.4 magnitude earthquake in Croatia two days before New Years 2021, Volunteer Ministers from the Churches of Scientology of Italy and Hungary filled their bright yellow vans with urgently needed supplies and headed out to help.

When a 160-foot-wide tornado decimated Mayfair, Kentucky, two weeks before Christmas in 2021, all but erasing the town from the map, Volunteer Ministers from the Scientology Churches in Nashville, Tennessee; Cincinnati, Ohio; and Twin Cities, Minnesota put their own holidays on hold and arrived with supplies and equipment. They filled U-Hauls with 100 generators, heaters and propane tanks, erected their bright yellow tents, and immediately set to work helping residents recover what they could from the rubble and plan for the future. They connected with other nonprofits and helped prepare and distribute thousands of hot meals, including Christmas dinner, to residents and volunteer workers.

But physical damage is only one aspect of the impact of disasters. When faced with tremendous loss, those affected often suffer from despair and hopelessness, making it virtually impossible for them to confront their situation and take effective action to rebuild their lives. That is where the skills of the Volunteer Minister are vital.

Volunteers are trained in technology developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard called Scientology assists. Assists are techniques that relieve distress by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors of trauma.

To make this technology available to everyone, anywhere and at any time, the spiritual technology contained in the Scientology Handbook, the textbook of the Volunteer Minister, has been made available as free courses in 18 languages through the Scientology website at Scientology.org. Anyone can log on and learn the skills that enable these volunteers to produce such remarkable change in the state of mind of victims of disaster.

Brief videos introducing the chapters of the Scientology Handbook are available on the Scientology Network, along with a documentary on the work of Volunteer Ministers who served in the aftermath of the 2015 earthquake in Nepal.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases

https://www.volunteerministers.org/

https://www.scientology.org/how-we-help/volunteer-ministers/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su1NKhyhIp8&t=1s

Disasters, whether great or small, do not comply with the calendar. And whether the scope of the difficulty affects a single family, or hundreds of thousands or more, Scientology Volunteer Ministers live by the motto that no matter the difficulty, "Something Can Be Done About It."

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Reach Out to Flood Victims With Help

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Responding to a call from the civil protection department in early November, Scientology Volunteer Ministers reached out to the municipality of Campi Bisenzio with help. The Bisenzio River, for which the town is named, had overflowed, wreaking havoc.

Hurricane-force winds of Storm Ciarán tore through Central Italy, causing severe flooding, toppling power lines and trees, sweeping away cars, and leaving entire areas submerged. Once the flood waters receded, it revealed the extent of cleanup needed. And it was immense.

Arriving with trucks, bobcats, mini-bulldozers and excavators, the Volunteer Ministers' first task was to dig up and haul away mud and debris that was blocking the roads, making it possible for emergency workers to access homes and businesses in need of help. Then they tackled the arduous job of helping residents dig out from the mud and salvage what possessions they could.

In the aftermath of floods, it is vital to remove waterlogged furniture and carpeting and allow the buildings to fully dry, as mold and mildew can create health hazards for those with weakened immune systems.

In addition to the physical aid they provide, Scientology Volunteer Ministers are trained to help victims of disaster overcome the confusion, disorientation and despair that often affect victims of such calamities. They provide Scientology assists-techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Mr. Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces.

In the wake of the 9/11 terrorist attacks in 2001, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige called on Scientologists to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, which inspired astonishing growth within the Volunteer Minister movement. In response, Volunteer Ministers of Italy formed the Civil Protection Volunteers of the Scientology Community, Pro.Civi.Co.S, which was entered into the registry of the National Department of Civil Defense and is on call throughout the year to respond to disasters great or small.

Over the past two decades, Pro.Civi.Co.S and the Volunteer Ministers of Italy have responded to disasters at home and abroad, providing relief after the L'Aquila and Amatrice earthquakes in Italy, the South Asian tsunami of 2004, the Haiti earthquake of 2010, the 2019 Albania earthquake, the 2020 Croatia earthquake, and throughout the Covid pandemic.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

For more information, visit the website of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, or learn about the technology used by the Scientology Volunteer Minister by watching Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network, available in 17 languages on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and streaming at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.org

https://www.volunteerministers.org/

https://www.scientology.org/churches/ideal-orgs/rome-italy/

https://www.scientology.org/how-we-help/volunteer-ministers/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Su1NKhyhIp8&t=1s

Responding to a call from the civil protection department in early November, Scientology Volunteer Ministers reached out to the municipality of Campi Bisenzio with help. The Bisenzio River, for which the town is named, had overflowed, wreaking havoc.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Minister Brings Hope to the People of Kenya

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network documents the work of Scientology Volunteer Minister Daniel Okello whose grassroots program is creating a brighter future where before there was only despair.

Born in Kenya, a country rich in resources but mired in poverty and crime, Okello's passion to help began as a child when neighbors rescued him and his family from their home as it went up in flames.

Already steeped in the indigenous Luo culture, which he describes in an interview in Freedom Magazine as instilling "values of brotherhood, providing for one's family, living a life of sharing, caring for one's community," this act of friendship inspired Okello to dedicate his life to serving others.

After graduating from college, he opened a business school to help others learn the skills they would need to succeed. While searching the internet for an effective method to help his students improve their ability to learn, he discovered the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program.

With the results he achieved from what he learned, Okello realized he had found the tools Kenyans need to address the societal ills that plague their country. He delivers Volunteer Minister seminars throughout the country, helping strengthen education in schools, productivity in businesses, and morals and ethics in penitentiaries.

"My goal is to bring civilization to my people so we can have a society that is good to live in," he says in his episode of Voices for Humanity.

For his outstanding work, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige presented Okello with the prestigious Freedom Medal of the International Association of Scientologists.

The Scientology Network debuted on March 12, 2018. Since launching, the network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories in 17 languages. Satisfying the curiosity of people about the Scientology religion and Founder L. Ron Hubbard, the network takes viewers across six continents, spotlighting the everyday lives of Scientologists, showing the Church as a global organization, and presenting its social betterment programs that have touched the lives of millions worldwide. The network also showcases documentaries by independent filmmakers who represent a cross-section of cultures and faiths, but share a common purpose of uplifting communities.

Broadcast from Scientology Media Productions, the Church's global media center in Los Angeles, the Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320, DIRECTV STREAM, AT&T U-verse and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/daniel-okello.html

https://youtu.be/feYDc1T0GqM?si=b7fYPVX_zpvFCUo6

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

https://youtu.be/feYDc1T0GqM?si=b7fYPVX_zpvFCUo6

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/daniel-okello.html

Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network documents the work of Scientology Volunteer Minister Daniel Okello whose grassroots program is creating a brighter future where before there was only despair.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Tools for Life Empower More than 20,000 to Help Their Country

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- "Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," said South African President Nelson Mandela. And for the 1,300 new graduates of the Scientology Tools for Life Courses attending a recent graduation at Castle Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, Madiba's message has taken on new meaning. They now have the skills to educate others and make a difference. And they are determined to do so.

"Each of you now has the ability to achieve many great deeds that will benefit society," said Sandile Hlayisi, Chairperson of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers, at a ceremony for these new Scientology Volunteer Ministers.

Graduates, wearing their signature bright yellow jackets, hail from many different backgrounds, faiths and beliefs. But all share the common purpose to help. Among them were educators at all echelons from primary school teachers to university professors, government officials, municipal leaders, community development specialists, early childhood practitioners, business leaders, pastors, social workers, nurses, police officers and agripreneurs.

South Africa faces many challenges, from unemployment and poverty to crime including gender-based violence. Many face inequality, suffer from unemployment, and try to cope with the effects of corruption.

But with the skills they have gained, these graduates look to a better future for themselves and their communities. They are empowered to resolve conflicts, tackle learning barriers, and raise the standard of business ethics. They can help people overcome drug abuse, improve their ability to communicate, gain more self-confidence, set and achieve goals, mend relationships, and plan for and achieve financial stability.

Among Tools for Life graduates empowering others through what they have learned are:

* Ms. Nomsa Ngwenya, a retired farmer, who held a series of empowerment workshops to inspire and equip farmers to turn struggling farms into profitable small holdings. "After I came across the Tools for Life program, I put it into application," she says. "And I am still experiencing success even long after turning the farm over to my daughter. I have retired and I now want to impart knowledge from my experience as my humanitarian mission to create better lives.

* Amanda Mbanga, a life coach who learned about Scientology Tools for Life while working with the Council of Churches on youth programs. She uses what she learned from these courses to help people one-on-one. These tools make it possible to find the exact right thing to help those she works with, she says.

* Irene Moemise, who was devastated when her job was phased out because of the pandemic. That's when she learned about the Scientology Tools for Life. Using what she learned on these courses, she opened her own bakery, which has not only brought her financial security, it has also enabled her to empower others in need of employment and supply bread to shelters for battered women and children. And when someone comes asking for day-old bread at a reduced cost, she hands them a loaf right out of the oven with a smile.

In a video on the Scientology website:

* An activist who is training people on the Tools for Life in Senegal, Gabon, Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and throughout Africa, says these courses are "really waking up the sleeping giant. You can never be the same. You cannot sit down idly again. You have to stand up," he says.

* A student recognizes that "as the leaders, we as the future generation will make sure that people are taken care of through following and doing all 19 courses.

* A pastor encourages everyone to join in the movement. "I'm doing something for my life, I'm doing something for the community" because "what counts most is to bring light, to bring life, to bring hope. Please come and join us," he says. "You are not going to regret it. This is a great opportunity-to be a volunteer for the Scientology Volunteer Ministry.

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard developed the Tools for Life for the training of Scientology Volunteer Ministers, a religious social service sponsored by the Church of Scientology International.

Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Castle Kyalami serves as a home for the community and a nexus for all who share the goal of bettering the lives of individuals and strengthening communities across the region, nation, and all of Africa. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, dedicated Castle Kyalami on New Year's Day 2019, reaffirming the vision of Mr. Hubbard that "from Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, visit the Scientology website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/22-23/#africa-tools-for-life

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

https://www.scientology.org/22-23/#africa-tools-for-life

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

https://www.youtube.com/@vmafrica

"Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world," said South African President Nelson Mandela. And for the 1,300 new graduates of the Scientology Tools for Life Courses attending a recent graduation at Castle Kyalami in Midrand, South Africa, Madiba's message has taken on new meaning.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Providing Help in Turkey to the Survivors of the February 6 Earthquake

ANTAKYA, Turkey /ScoopCloud/ -- A team of Scientologists who are disaster response specialists from Pakistan has now joined volunteers from the Scientology Center of Tel Aviv and other emergency response-trained responders who are providing relief in Turkey.

It is estimated the earthquake killed 6,000 in Syria and 46,000 in Turkey. And hundreds of thousands have been left homeless. UNICEF describes the needs as "huge," stating "continued support is vital."

As aid pours into Turkey, the Scientology volunteers are primarily focused on seeing that supplies get into the hands of those most in need.

"We arrived in a village and came across a family of 20 living in tents pitched outside their home that was destroyed by the earthquake," says one of the volunteers. "They had no supplies left." The volunteers left them with food kits, each containing 45 pounds of food-enough to hold them over for several weeks.

The volunteers are providing any help that is needed but are primarily distributing food, water, winter clothing, bedding and sanitary supplies.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers headquarters in Los Angeles has put out a call for experienced disaster response specialists who can join them in providing help. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is an embracive initiative, created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard, that provides community service, disaster relief and emergency response.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

A team of Scientologists who are disaster response specialists from Pakistan has now joined volunteers from the Scientology Center of Tel Aviv and other emergency response-trained responders who are providing relief in Turkey. As aid pours into Turkey, the Scientology volunteers are primarily focused on seeing that supplies get into the hands of those most in need.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers: Helping One Person Can Change the World

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa /ScoopCloud/ -- Growing up in Mitchel Plain wasn't easy, according to Luce-Lynn Fondling, a life skills coach and Scientology Volunteer Minister who works with community leaders, educators and both bullies and victims in schools. Drug dealers dominate her neighborhood. "There is violence everywhere," she says.

Mitchel Plain was built in the 1970s for people forcibly removed by the apartheid South African government from areas set aside for "whites only." It is notorious for gang violence, substance abuse and poverty.

"I was always fighting," she says in a video on the Volunteer Ministers South Africa YouTube channel. "I was always in fights. I was always, 'you can't tell me anything.'"

Then she met a Scientology volunteer and what the volunteer told Luce seemed to make sense.

"How do you know all these things?" Luce asked her, and the volunteer introduced her to the Tools for Life-a series of 19 free online courses.

"When I did the courses, I become a different person," says Luce. "I know that I've changed because when people attack me, I'm like 'Hold on. I'm not that Luce anymore.' And then they will approach me and say, 'Look here, what happened to you? Why are you so changed?' And then I share the 19 Tools."

Working in coordination with Scientology Volunteer Ministers African headquarters at Castle Kyalami in Johannesburg, Luce delivers seminars to community leaders to empower them so they know what to do.

A community activist who took part in the training says Luce's Tools for Life seminars are "equipping those in my community so we can create a positive ripple effect. The goal is to break the cycle of poverty."

"Sometimes children are acting out, but you don't know why they are acting out," says the principal of an early childhood development center who attended Luce's seminar. "Their parents might be on drugs or they're using alcohol .... The Tools show us how to deal with these people."

"It was a blessing for me to be part of this," says an intern assistant at the same center.

"For me, change is possible," says a ward committee member who completed the 19 courses. "It just depends on what I utilize [from these courses]."

Luce says, "these Tools for Life really changed my life because I am now able to create the change I want to see around me without waiting for anyone. I can see it made a difference in my life. And I'm sure it's going to make a difference in everybody's life."

Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard developed the Tools for Life for the training of Scientology Volunteer Ministers, which is a religious social service sponsored by the Church of Scientology International.

Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is, no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Castle Kyalami serves as a home for the community and a nexus for all who share the goal of bettering the lives of individuals and strengthening communities across the region, nation, and all of Africa. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, dedicated Castle Kyalami on New Year's Day 2019, reaffirming the vision of Mr. Hubbard that "from Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, visit the Scientology website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/S5gGNaNHubw

Growing up in Mitchel Plain wasn't easy, according to Luce-Lynn Fondling, a life skills coach and Scientology Volunteer Minister who works with community leaders, educators and both bullies and victims in schools. Drug dealers dominate her neighborhood. "There is violence everywhere," she says.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Tools for Life Empower Leaders to Help Better Life for All

JOHANNESBURG, South Africa /ScoopCloud/ -- Hundreds of committed changemakers see this new year as a turning point for South Africa. Empowered through community and economic development workshops at Castle Kyalami, Scientology headquarters in the country, they know that as they return to their communities and implement what they have learned, the impact will continue to swell, as those they empower reach out to others with the Scientology Tools for Life.

A district manager of an educational support nonprofit believes everyone should study the Scientology Tools for Life courses. "They have taken my skillset to a whole new level," he says, "and I can't wait to impart this knowledge."

A department head of a secondary school says, "the knowledge from the Tools for Life courses really improved my communication skills and I am now comfortable in interacting with other people in my environment, especially talking to fellow educators and learners." In addition to the knowledge he gained, he felt "a unique sense of togetherness, a feeling of belonging to a wonderful group of profound people." This is echoed by an education specialist, who says "every new thing I learned from the Scientology Volunteer Ministers motivated me to bring change into my community."

"Because I am shy, I just feel they gave me that urge to want to do more," says a graduate who works for a sustainable agriculture nonprofit. She now feels more capable of accomplishing her goals. "I can organize, I can mobilize people, I can speak, I can be vocal."

"This is what I want to achieve," says a Gauteng University intern who was able to overcome certain fears that prevented him from being successful. He realized these truly are tools for life "because they equip you to be able to tackle any challenge and any obstacle that you are faced with."

Scientology Tools for Life were developed for the training of Scientology Volunteer Ministers, a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. The Volunteer Ministers are among the world's largest independent relief forces.

Mr. Hubbard described the Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is, no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Castle Kyalami serves as a home for the community and a nexus for all who share the goal of bettering the lives of individuals and strengthening communities across the region, nation, and all of Africa. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, dedicated Kyalami Castle on New Year's Day 2019, reaffirming the commitment of Mr. Hubbard that "from Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, visit the Scientology website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/bkUy2jrjNOc

Hundreds of committed changemakers see this new year as a turning point for South Africa. Empowered through community and economic development workshops at Castle Kyalami, Scientology headquarters in the country, they know that as they return to their communities and implement what they have learned, the impact will continue to swell, as those they empower reach out to others with the Scientology Tools for Life.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Assist Team Brings Help to Their Country in Its Time of Need

KARACHI, Pakistan /ScoopCloud/ -- In a country as prone to cataclysm and disaster as Pakistan, some might say there is not much you can count on except bad news. But Perwaiz Hasan and the Scientology Assist Team are the exception to that rule.

The team has been providing relief in the wake of disasters for more than a decade and responded immediately to this year's floods that left a third of the country under water.

They have visited towns rarely mentioned in Western news: In Bhittai and Qasimabad, they brought food and clothing to some 500 people stranded by the flood. They brought relief to the towns of Zhob, Dadu, and Dera Ismail Khan. They have traveled across the provinces of Punjab and Sindh.

"We really felt honored to visit the most neglected province, Baluchistan," said Perwaiz Hasan, who leads Pakistan's Scientology Assist Team. The team was warned that the area was unsafe. "But it wasn't true," said Hasan. "The people in that area were very friendly and welcoming, and they were really happy we came."

With flooding comes a host of medical complications.

"Standing water is an ideal breeding ground for mosquitoes, which are currently spreading malaria and dengue fever in Pakistan," said Richard Brennan, regional emergency director for the eastern Mediterranean region at the World Health Organization. "Respiratory illnesses are rampant. And toxic floodwaters have caused skin infections and scabies."

The Scientology Assist Team includes a corps of medical doctors and nurses who provide medical camps to care for those in need.

After addressing immediate physical needs, the Pakistan Volunteer Assist Team provides Scientology assists-techniques developed by humanitarian and Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. And they share the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of online films and courses that provide skills to help people overcome difficulties and better their circumstances.

For more than a decade, Perwaiz Hasan and his team have been responding to disasters in Pakistan including monsoon-driven floods and the 7.5 earthquake of 2015. His team members have also deployed to disasters abroad, including the Nepal earthquake of 2015 and a tsunami and volcano in Jakarta in 2018.

In 2012, the International Association of Scientologists awarded Hasan the Freedom Medal, presented to Scientologists for stellar accomplishments in forwarding the dignity and freedom of all humankind, thus furthering the Church's humanitarian objectives.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, calling on Scientologists to use what they know to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, has inspired tremendous growth in the Volunteer Ministers movement.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister, watch Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/AhsOspn7BP4

In a country as prone to cataclysm and disaster as Pakistan, some might say there is not much you can count on except bad news. But Perwaiz Hasan and the Scientology Assist Team are the exception to that rule.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Hurricane Ian is Still a Disaster for Many Florida Families

FORT MYERS BEACH, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue their disaster response in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian where recovery is far from over for many affected by the storm. The devastation they encounter is still so overwhelming that one of the volunteers describes how they have to go about helping those in areas hardest hit by the storm.

"It honestly starts with you have to pick up that first piece of debris," she told a CBS Miami TV correspondent covering the work that continues in Fort Myers Beach and nearby islands. "When you're confronted with this much confusion, you have to pick up one piece of debris and just keep going."

The Scientology Volunteer Minister pulled a photo binder and a framed photo out of the rubble of a home. "We're doing our best to find the owners," she said. "Sometimes the neighbors know, sometimes they don't. This was from somebody's home, this was inside somebody's house. It can be kind of emotional sometimes. Some of them are halfway okay. I don't know how they really survived," she says, cleaning off a framed photo that, apart from being completely covered in dried mud, looks otherwise unharmed.

Another team of Volunteer Ministers is distributing food, water and hygiene supplies to local households, helping families survive the economic challenges made worse by the hurricane. As one Fort Myers Beach resident put it, "It is hard enough at this time to have a baby. I can't really afford to pay for all the things I need. Your supplies will make such a difference."

A local couple was wary at first. There's been looting and other problems. However, the Volunteer Ministers seemed different they said, "And we felt like we could trust them. They had the brightest smiles. We've been waking up every morning to this devastation and these guys are just the bright part of our day. People keep coming to me and saying where did you find these guys?"

Another resident told them, "Now that you're here, I'm not overwhelmed anymore. I'm going to be able to survive this and put everything in my life back together. People helping people is the silver lining of the whole disaster."

Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is "Something can be done about it." The program, created by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-1970s, is sponsored by the Church of Scientology International as a religious social service and constitutes one of the world's most significant independent relief forces.

The Volunteer Minister "helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

Tampa Bay Volunteer Ministers earned their reputation as "Hurricane Heroes" with an award from the Governor of Florida after their response to Hurricane Charlie in 2004: "This certificate is presented to Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Tampa Bay Hurricane Heroes, in recognition of exemplary efforts that not only benefit your local community but also lend truth to the belief that all citizens of Florida can make a difference in the lives of those they serve."

They have continued to serve, responding to Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005 and every local hurricane since, most recently Irma in 2017, Michael and Florence in 2018, as well as Hurricane Harvey in Texas in 2017, Maria in Puerto Rico in 2018, and Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019.

In June 2016, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige dedicated the center for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Florida, along with a Scientology information center and six other humanitarian centers in downtown Clearwater. He said, "In times of disaster, whether affecting whole populations or a single household, our Volunteer Ministers prove on a daily basis that 'something can be done about it.' We do not discriminate. We do not judge. All we care to do is help. And, as demonstrated time and again, we deliver that help anywhere and everywhere."

For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister in confronting and handling disasters, watch Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.org/our-help-is-yours/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue their disaster response in the aftermath of Hurricane Ian where recovery is far from over for many affected by the storm. The devastation they encounter is still so overwhelming that one of the volunteers describes how they have to go about helping those in areas hardest hit by the storm.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response Team: ‘Florida Storm Victims Still Need Help’

CLEARWATER, Fla. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue their response in Southwest Florida to help those still struggling to recover from the worst storm to hit the area since 1935. When Hurricane Ian rampaged through Southwest Florida with 155 mph winds, it left devastation in its wake, killing at least 102 and creating economic havoc. As few as 9.4 percent of those living in some devastated areas are covered by flood insurance. Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been providing disaster relief since the storm passed through the region and their work is far from over.

"We came across a lot of people whose houses were demolished," said a Volunteer Minister who was among the first to arrive in the area. "They were without running water or power, so the water we handed out was super appreciated. We came up to a mobile home park that was totally demolished. As we were driving by, a woman was standing by the side of her home and we asked if she needed water. She didn't, but she desperately needed ice for her insulin or it would go bad."

The entire area was without power. The Volunteer Ministers had no idea where to get ice, so they drove around and finally found a store with enough ice to tide her over.

Volunteer Ministers equipped with chainsaws took on clearing away fallen trees and hanging branches. They cleared out streets so people could get into and out of their homes. They helped move families out of flooded areas to shelters or friends' homes.

It took another team of Volunteer Ministers many hours to clean out the debris from a woman's home and around her property. They sent her pictures of the house when they were done and she called them in tears, thanking them for their help. They cut down a tree that had fallen on another house and helped a 97-year-old veteran clear away the storm damage that covered his home.

Now two weeks later, there are still so many people in need of help, and the Volunteer Ministers continue to serve in North Port, Port Charlotte, Fort Myers and Orlando.

"We've been using the Crisis Clean-up website where people needing assistance can register for help," said one of the Volunteer Ministers. Using this site, they were directed to a trailer park. "It was heavily hit by the hurricane and several homes were severely damaged. We cleared away debris, cut down fallen trees, cleaned off roofs, and helped tarp the side of a house that had been ripped off, providing the home shelter from the elements."

Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is "Something can be done about it." The program, created by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-1970s, is sponsored by the Church of Scientology International as a religious social service and constitutes one of the world's most significant independent relief forces.

The Volunteer Minister "helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

Tampa Bay Volunteer Ministers earned their reputation as "Hurricane Heroes" with an award from the Governor of Florida after their response to Hurricane Charlie in 2004: "This certificate is presented to Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Tampa Bay Hurricane Heroes, in recognition of exemplary efforts that not only benefit your local community but also lend truth to the belief that all citizens of Florida can make a difference in the lives of those they serve," it states.

They have continued to serve, responding to Hurricanes Rita and Katrina in 2005 and every local hurricane since, most recently Irma in 2017, Michael and Florence in 2018, as well as Hurricane Harvey in Texas in 2017, Maria in Puerto Rico in 2018, and Dorian in the Bahamas in 2019.

In June 2016, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige dedicated the center for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Florida, along with a Scientology information center and six other humanitarian centers in downtown Clearwater. He said, "In times of disaster, whether affecting whole populations or a single household, our Volunteer Ministers prove on a daily basis that 'something can be done about it.' We do not discriminate. We do not judge. All we care to do is help. And, as demonstrated time and again, we deliver that help anywhere and everywhere."

For more information on the technology used by the Volunteer Minister in confronting and handling disasters, watch Scientology Tools for Life on the Scientology Network at DIRECTV 320 or at www.Scientology.tv.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/our-help-is-yours/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Scientology Volunteer Ministers continue their response in Southwest Florida to help those still struggling to recover from the worst storm to hit the area since 1935. When Hurricane Ian rampaged through Southwest Florida with 155 mph winds, it left devastation in its wake, killing at least 102 and creating economic havoc.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteers Help Neighbors Battered by Record Italian Floods

SENIGALLIA, Italy /ScoopCloud/ -- Tragedy struck the commune of Senigallia, and local Scientologists responded immediately to help the community recover from the worst floods ever to hit the town. Ever since the eastern coast of Italy was devastated by a flash flood September 16, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been hard at work providing help.

Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology Mission of Senigallia responded immediately, helping their city dig out from the mud. They have been joined by Volunteer Ministers from the Churches of Scientology of Padova and Rome.

Some of the worst of the recent flooding in Italy hit the town of Senigallia, where the River Misa overflowed its banks.

Although alerted to rain, it was far greater than predicted. Local residents did not expect the violence of the storm, which dumped between 16 and 19 inches of rain on the region in two or three hours. An Interior Ministry official in Ancona described the rainfall as a "water bomb that exploded." A local mayor said it was more like a tsunami. In just a few hours, the region was inundated with as much rainfall as it usually receives in six months.

Streets became rivers that carried away everything in their path. At least 10 people died.

When floodwaters receded, the cleanup began, and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers responded immediately and have been helping their community dig out from the mud and water damage ever since.

Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is "Something can be done about it." The program, created by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in the mid-1970s, is sponsored by the Church of Scientology International as a religious social service and constitutes one of the world's most significant independent relief forces.

The Volunteer Minister "helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

The Scientology Network features Scientology: Tools for Life, an introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training of the Volunteer Minister. These films present practical tools anybody may learn and use to overcome problems, live a happier life, and better the lives of those around them.

The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Tragedy struck the commune of Senigallia, and local Scientologists responded immediately to help the community recover from the worst floods ever to hit the town. Ever since the eastern coast of Italy was devastated by a flash flood September 16, Scientology Volunteer Ministers have been hard at work providing help.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Uganda’s Scientology Volunteer Ministers Reach Out With Help

WANGA PARISH, Uganda /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Tools for Life are transforming communities in the hands of a dedicated team of local leaders and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Wanga Parish, Uganda. As the UN convenes in New York for the 77th General Assembly, delegates and world leaders are seeking solutions for building "a more sustainable and resilient world for all." Some 7,000 miles away, district leaders in Eastern Uganda are making this dream a reality, thanks to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Wanga Parish.

It all began when Arthur Wamatsu learned about the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program and its 19 online courses from his aunt Millie. The whole family was amazed. Here was the technology to transform their birth village from one beset by poverty and despair to a place of hope and self-reliance.

The entire family trained on the 19 Scientology Tools for Life courses, the basic training for the Volunteer Ministers. They put their new skills into action.

Disease and natural disasters had taken their toll on the village, leaving 70 orphans in need of care and many families living on the edge of starvation.

The Volunteer Ministers raised funds to establish a medical clinic with a Volunteer Minister-trained nurse who provides basic health care along with Scientology assists-techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

More donations went to the purchase of seeds, chickens and pigs.

Next, they trained every adult in the village on the Tools for Life courses. The whole village took on planting the crops-maize, beans and rice to begin with. Everyone, including the children, took turns watering and weeding. The village has now brought in their first harvest, and they have added sweet potatoes and cassava to what they are growing. With what they have grown and the 130 eggs their chickens produce each day, there is plenty of food for the village.

The Volunteer Ministers helped the village establish an orphanage with a nursery school for the 30 younger children. More donations paid for the school uniforms for the 40 older children who are now attending school.

With enough food to feed themselves, they plan to raise and sell chickens and pigs and expand their operation.

Word spread of the transformation of the parish and the Nalonda sub-county chair could hardly believe the change. He decided to study the courses himself.

"I have learned so much that I will use to improve my leadership skills," he said. "It would have been so easy for me if I'd known all this before. I have been finding my work very challenging, but today I gained the solutions." How to investigate to find the cause of difficulties and how to resolve conflicts were the courses he found the most valuable. He sees they will ease any leadership difficulties for the rest of his tenure.

He then invited all 186 sub-county leaders representing 10,000 villagers to take the courses. They all agreed. He helped set up a training center in Wanga Parish to serve the entire district and beyond. And he transported all the sub-county leaders to the week-long training.

"From the very first day of this training today it has been a period full of knowledge," said Namataka Agnes, 34, one of the sub-county leaders. "So much wisdom actually. I have learned so much that I didn't know and never thought I could learn from anywhere ever. I am so excited. They say hope is the pillar of the world, but I say it is wisdom. So many people in this community are lagging behind. With these courses taught to them, they will be empowered and help each other move forward. Many don't know how to handle kids, solve simple marriage conflicts, how to communicate. Just imagine when all these courses are taught to them. The community will be so empowered and ready to move forward."

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, calling on Scientologists to use what they know to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, has inspired tremendous growth in the Volunteer Ministers movement.

The Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

For more information, visit the Volunteer Ministers website. To arrange a live seminar, fill out the form on their website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Scientology Tools for Life are transforming communities in the hands of a dedicated team of local leaders and the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of Wanga Parish, Uganda. The Volunteer Ministers raised funds to establish a medical clinic with a Volunteer Minister-trained nurse.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Assist Team Helps Pakistan Flood Victims in Need of Care

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- In response to unprecedented flooding in Pakistan, described by the UN as a climate catastrophe, Scientology volunteers continue providing urgently needed supplies and health care in their outreach to affected communities.

With a third of the country under water and authorities predicting it could take six months for floodwaters to recede in areas hardest hit, Scientology Volunteer Assist Teams continue providing help.

Waterborne and other diseases pose a serious threat to these communities, so the doctors hold a medical camp in each village they visit and administer care.

"We arranged a medical camp in a village in Hyderabad," said Perwaiz Hasan, who leads the Scientology Assist Teams. "No help has reached this area so far. Flood victims said we are the first ones."

They had to come through swampland to survey the damaged homes.

"Their suffering is real. The damage is real. They are in great need of help," said Hasan.

They delivered food and water, and doctors on the team set up a clinic to provide first aid and medicine.

A few days later the team arrived in another village. They came at the invitation of two local teachers who thanked them not only for the medical care, food and supplies they brought but also for giving the children balls and bats, which were a huge hit with the kids.

At another nearby village, what was most appreciated was the mosquito repellent and nets they brought.

Food, water and other urgently needed supplies have not arrived in these remote villages. The Scientology Volunteer Assist Team has been raising donations and bringing supplies to the villages they visit.

In addition to performing medical examinations and distributing needed medicine, the volunteers train villagers to help each other using simple Scientology assists-techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that speed recovery by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma. One young girl who had a stomachache didn't know what to think of the technique. But the volunteer continued to administer it and after a short while, the girl looked very surprised. The stomach pain was gone.

This was the first medical camp one of the doctors participated in. "She was very thankful to us," said Hasan. She plans to join them as they continue their outreach.

Modern technology has been of major assistance to the volunteer team. Using their Facebook and WhatsApp they have been able to collect donated items including clothes, food and water to distribute to the communities they visit.

Their van driver was so taken with the volunteers that he took one of their bright yellow T-shirts for the next time "because I want to continue working with you as a volunteer," he said.

Members of the Scientology Volunteer Assist Team of Pakistan have studied the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of 19 courses, many of which include vital skills for responding to disasters. This is the basic training for the Scientology Volunteer Minister. It increases their communication skills and enables them to bring order to the chaos of disaster sites.

For more than a decade, Perwaiz Hasan and his team have been responding to disasters in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia and beyond. His humanitarian work earned him the Freedom Medal of the International Association of Scientologists in 2012.

Scientology: Tools for Life is a filmed introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training these volunteers use. These films are available on the Scientology Network. Tools for Life courses are available free of charge on the Scientology website. They include practical skills anyone may learn and use to overcome problems, live a happier life, and better the lives of those around them.

Available on DIRECTV Channel 320, the Scientology Network can also be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

In response to unprecedented flooding in Pakistan, described by the UN as a climate catastrophe, Scientology volunteers continue providing urgently needed supplies and health care in their outreach to affected communities.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

The Legacy of 9/11 and the Scientology Movement it Inspired

NEW YORK, N.Y. /ScoopCloud/ -- Out of the smoke and dust that engulfed lower Manhattan 21 years ago rose a humanitarian movement known for its ardent commitment to help: the Scientology Volunteer Ministers-a religious social service of the Church of Scientology.

The 9/11 terror attacks marked a turning point for Scientologists.

More than 800 Scientology Volunteer Ministers served in the aftermath of the attack. They traveled from across the country and abroad, providing support to emergency personnel and bringing order to the chaos. And they continued doing so throughout the entire eight months of the rescue and recovery effort.

"At any time, well over 100 Volunteer Ministers from the Church of Scientology mill around the remains of the World Trade Center," wrote The New York Times on September 20, 2001. "On the day of the attack, they took in food to workers....When rescue workers stagger from the wreckage, the ministers, identified by their T-shirts, try to focus the workers' minds and revive their bodies."

"The Volunteer Ministers worked with great energy and great compassion at Ground Zero, helping to ease the physical burdens and mental strains of the rescue workers," wrote a New York Police Chief in thanks. "The organization, the caring, and the dedication of your Volunteer Ministers were exceptional, very much appreciated, and will long be remembered by those who received their help."

Within hours and the terror attacks, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige issued a directive that was distributed to Scientologists everywhere: The Wake-Up Call. As its title suggests, it urged Scientologists to treat this event as a change point. And they did. As of September 11, 2001, there were 6,000 Volunteer Ministers worldwide. Today, Scientology Volunteer Ministers are among the world's most widely recognized independent relief organizations, with hundreds of thousands on call to respond to disasters great and small. Whether helping at the sites of natural and man-made disasters or responding to the needs of their neighbors and communities, the bright yellow T-shirt of the Volunteer Ministers has become a symbol of help.

"The answer to this planet's problems will not be found in the material," said Mr. Miscavige in describing what that tragedy represented for the Church. "Of this there can be no question. For if those solutions can't prevent war nation to nation, how then can it be expected to answer questions like love, happiness or peace of mind?"

He also pointed out that providing help in disaster zones is only one part of the picture.

"For while we can help in the worst of circumstances, when compassion itself demands each person to help one another, what about those everyday disasters simmering beneath the social structure? The marital difficulties and familial discord that ruins lives each day? The delinquent child and the parent with nowhere to turn for help? Not to mention oppression and depression, which all too often-with no other help in sight-turns to drugs as a last hope to dull the mental pain?

"And therein lies the greater story of our Volunteer Ministers...They are seen everywhere, in nations across the globe, bringing effective solutions before it is too late. Constantly visiting new communities to offer help with everything from marital difficulties, to tutoring of children, to providing counseling for the lonely."

The pandemic was a practical example of the extent and effectiveness of the movement.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers spent the lockdown serving their communities with food and medicine delivery, operating helplines, providing backup to medical professionals at COVID testing and vaccination centers and helping overloaded medical professionals cope with the care of elderly residents at healthcare facilities. They reached out to other houses of worship to provide training and sanitization to ensure the safety of their congregations. They distributed millions of educational booklets to help people understand and apply the protocols to prevent the spread of the virus.

The Volunteer Ministers movement has become truly grassroots, with hundreds of new Volunteer Ministers groups cropping up in towns and villages from South Africa and Uganda to Nepal, Papua New Guinea and throughout Latin America.

The Scientology Network airs Scientology: Tools for Life, a filmed introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training these volunteers use. And the Tools for Life courses, the basic training for the Volunteer Minister, are available free of charge through the Volunteer Ministers and Scientology websites.

Each week, hundreds of new Volunteer Ministers complete all 19 Volunteer Ministers courses and become fully fledged members of the team.

In creating the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program in the 1970s, Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard wrote, "If one does not like the crime, cruelty, injustice and violence of this society, he can do something about it. He can become a Volunteer Minister and help civilize it, bring it conscience and kindness and love and freedom from travail by instilling into it trust, decency, honesty and tolerance."

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their motto is that no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it." And their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Out of the smoke and dust that engulfed lower Manhattan 21 years ago rose a humanitarian movement known for its ardent commitment to help: the Scientology Volunteer Ministers-a religious social service of the Church of Scientology.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Assist Team Provides Help and Medical Care to Pakistan Flood Victims

KARACHI, Pakistan /ScoopCloud/ -- Responding to catastrophic floods that have left a third of the country submerged, a team of Scientology volunteers including doctors and other medical personnel are providing relief.

Since June, heavy monsoon rains and melting glaciers have inundated Pakistan in one of the worst disasters in the country's history. Millions are stranded. More than 1,200 have died. Nearly a third of the casualties are children. Volunteers from Pakistan's Scientology Volunteer Assist Team are bringing relief and medical care to those in need.

Lead volunteer Perwaiz Hasan mobilized his team to deliver food, water and clothing to flood survivors in shelters in Karachi.

There has been an outbreak of waterborne disease that can cause serious illness or death, and those who suffered injuries also need medical care. Doctors and other trained medical professionals on the team set up medical stations at the shelters where they examine those affected and administer needed care.

Children are often the hardest hit by disasters like these. So in addition to caring for the physical needs of those displaced by the floods, team members engage the children in extroverting activities to orient them in their current environment and bring them relief from the stress they have experienced.

Members of the team have studied the Scientology Tools for Life, a series of 19 courses, many of which include vital skills for responding to disasters. This training increases their communication skills and enables them to bring order to the chaos of disaster sites. The volunteers provide assists - techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that address the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

For more than a decade, Perwaiz Hasan and his team have been responding to disasters in Pakistan and other countries in South Asia and beyond. His humanitarian work earned him the Freedom Medal of the International Association of Scientologists in 2012.

The Scientology Network Scientology: Tools for Life is a filmed introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training these volunteers use. Tools for Life courses are available free of charge on the Scientology website. They include practical skills anyone may learn and use to overcome problems, live a happier life, and better the lives of those around them.

Available on DIRECTV Channel 320, the Scientology Network can also be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Responding to catastrophic floods that have left a third of the country submerged, a team of Scientology volunteers including doctors and other medical personnel are providing relief.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Reach Out Once Again with Help

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Volunteer Ministers from Scientology Churches in Florida returned to The Bahamas as promised to provide training to help local communities become self-sufficient in times of disaster.

In 2019, a team of Scientology Volunteer Ministers helped in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian with the search and rescue effort and cleanup, and provided food and supplies to communities hardest hit by the storm. When they completed their disaster response, officials invited them back to train local residents so the next time disaster strikes they can be prepared. But several months later the pandemic struck.

Now, with COVID-related travel restrictions lifted, the volunteers returned to the island as promised. And those who attended their training are so glad they did.

The Volunteer Ministers provided a series of seminars in Lewis Yard, a community in West End Grand Bahama that was devastated by Hurricane Dorian.

A Volunteer Minister, who is also a certified EMT, trained those attending on how to administer CPR - an emergency life-saving procedure that is done when someone's breathing or heartbeat has stopped. She followed this with training on "Stop the Bleed" -basic trauma care to stop or slow bleeding during emergencies. Each seminar included practical drills through which those attending gained confidence in their ability to use the techniques to save lives.

This was followed by training in the use of Scientology assists - techniques developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that can help people recover from stress, loss and trauma. In addition to showing them how to use these techniques and having them practice them on each other, the Volunteer Minister shared examples of how she has helped survivors recover from the shock of losing a loved one and assisted people to overcome hopelessness so they can get on with rebuilding their lives. She encouraged them to visit the Scientology website to enroll on the Scientology Tools for Life Assists for Illnesses and Injuries Course to gain more information and find additional assists they can learn and use.

One community leader, who helped organize and attended the seminars, said the Scientology team has ignited "a spark of hope in the community." She now looks forward to preparing surrounding communities so they too can be self-sufficient when disaster strikes.

Whether serving in their communities or on the other side of the world, the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Minister is "Something can be done about it." The program, created by Mr. Hubbard in the mid-1970s, is sponsored by the Church of Scientology International as a religious social service and constitutes one of the world's most significant independent relief forces.

The Volunteer Minister "helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others."

The Scientology Network features Scientology: Tools for Life, an introduction to the basic principles and technology that comprise the training of the Volunteer Minister. These films present practical tools anybody may learn and use to overcome problems, live a happier life, and better the lives of those around them.

The Scientology Network is available on DIRECTV Channel 320 and can be streamed at Scientology.tv, on mobile apps and via the Roku, Amazon Fire and Apple TV platforms. Since launching with a special episode featuring Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, Scientology Network has been viewed in 240 countries and territories worldwide in 17 languages.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.tv/films/scientology-principles/tools-for-life.html

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

Volunteer Ministers from Scientology Churches in Florida returned to The Bahamas as promised to provide training to help local communities become self-sufficient in times of disaster. The Volunteer Ministers provided a series of seminars in Lewis Yard, a community in West End Grand Bahama that was devastated by Hurricane Dorian.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Honored for Their Service to South Africa

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- For World Humanitarian Day, celebrated annually on August 19, the Church of Scientology honors the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa. At a recent celebration at Kyalami Castle in Midrand, South Africa, officials from across the country joined the Church in thanking the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for their service since the pandemic began. Volunteer Ministers contributed more than a million hours assisting the government and private sector to care for the most vulnerable.

Those attending included the MEC (Member of the Executive Council) for Health of the Social Development Department and officials of the Department of Justice of Gauteng. South African Local Government Association (SALGA) was also on hand, along with National Disaster Management.

The Chief of Police of the Tshwane Metro Police, and Emergency Services of Tshwane, Joburg and Ekurhuleni, representative of Mogale City and many police officers of Gauteng attended as well.

The MEC of Health Gauteng, Dr. Nomathemba Mokgethi, and the MEC of Education, Mr. Panyaza Lesufi, acknowledged two Scientology Volunteer Ministers in particular who were part of the volunteer force since the lockdown began in 2020. They each contributed more than 2,000 hours of service to the community.

Other volunteers awarded contributed at least 100 volunteer hours, many of them between 1,000 and 2,000 hours.

Mr. Freddy Williams of the Tshwane Emergency Services presented a special acknowledgment to the Church of Scientology. The Church organized and coordinated these volunteers to combat the pandemic. Volunteer Minister South Africa spokesperson Sandile Hlayisi accepted the award, crediting Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard for the program, the technology, and the passion to help South Africa.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces.

Mr. Hubbard described a Volunteer Minister as "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Castle Kyalami serves as a home for the community and a nexus for all who share the goal of bettering the lives of individuals and strengthening communities across the region, nation and all of Africa. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, dedicated Kyalami Castle on New Year's Day 2019, reaffirming the commitment of Mr. Hubbard that "from Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

For more information on the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, visit the Scientology website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#south-africa

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/I5ENd7YVi-M

For World Humanitarian Day, celebrated annually on August 19, the Church of Scientology honors the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa. Volunteer Ministers contributed more than a million hours assisting the government and private sector to care for the most vulnerable.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa Help Create the Country of Their Dreams

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- On Mandela Day and throughout the year, the bright yellow jacket of the Scientology Volunteer Minister has become a symbol of service and the ability to make a difference. This year, Mandela Day marked a milestone for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa: 8,000 people have now joined their ranks by completing all 19 Tools for Life courses.

The UN set aside Nelson Mandela's birthday 18 July to celebrate the man and his impact, calling on people to make a difference in their communities and change the world for the better by taking action and inspiring change.

"At a time when so much of the world is beset by hardship and strife," said South Africa President Cyril Ramaphosa in honor of the day, "we are inspired by Madiba's words that 'it is in our hands to make a difference and to make the world a better place. Let us evoke Madiba's 'new patriotism,' where South Africans are determined to work together and make our country a winning nation."

And the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa and the training they provide are doing exactly that.

Just last week, 230 educators including teachers, principals and department of education officials were awarded their Volunteer Ministers certificates at a graduation at Kyalami Castle in Midrand, Scientology headquarters for Africa.

"These courses changed my life," said a police department community educator. "They gave me a full understanding of other people and how to deal with them. As police officers, we are used to dealing with people who can get very rude, call us names and get very disrespectful. I used to get angry back and it was just degrading. But now that I understand people and how their emotions work, I just wait for them to have their temper. I remain calm, and then when they are finished, I continue with my communication. I end up having people apologize for lashing out at me and telling me all the stresses going on at home. Even with my Early Childhood Development Centre, I used to help parents with their children based on what I hoped was correct. But now, I am trained to handle every situation. I just apply one or more of the tools. I have gained the respect of others around me. These courses have really put me in a good space."

After graduating, a primary school teacher said, "I am a Volunteer Minister now! My help is yours. I am going to get my fellow teachers to study these courses and graduate too. If everyone who has studied these courses got someone else enrolled, we would be looking at a different world. And it is doable. We each have our work cut out for us. Well, I will be doing my part."

A successful retired farmer recently hosted a professional development and mentoring seminar at Castle Kyalami for 120 agricultural entrepreneurs and advisors, training them on the Tools for Life to achieve poverty alleviation, sustainable agriculture, and combat unemployment among agricultural graduates.

Concerned about the problems and failure among smallholding farms, she decided to teach others the same skills she learned and used from the Scientology Volunteer Ministers community development program.

"After I came across the Tools for Life program, I put it into application," she said. "And I am still experiencing success even long after turning the farm over to my daughter. I have retired and I now want to impart knowledge from my experience as my humanitarian mission to create better lives."

The Tools for Life courses contain the skills Volunteer Ministers use to change life for the better. The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces.

As he described, a Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

Castle Kyalami serves as a home for the community and a nexus for all who share the goal of bettering the lives of individuals and strengthening communities across the region, nation and all of Africa. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, dedicated Kyalami Castle on New Year's Day 2019, reaffirming the commitment of Mr. Hubbard that "from Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

For more information on the Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, visit the interactive timeline on the Scientology website.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

https://www.facebook.com/kyalamicastle

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/I5ENd7YVi-M

On Mandela Day and throughout the year, the bright yellow jacket of the Scientology Volunteer Minister has become a symbol of service and the ability to make a difference. This year, Mandela Day marked a milestone for the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers Say Something Can Be Done to Help Youth Excel

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- As the UN launches its Youth Skills Day campaign for 2022 with its motto "transforming youth skills for the future," Scientology Volunteer Ministers are providing educators throughout South Africa with the tools to accomplish this goal.

In America, where 79 percent of adults are considered literate, some 14 percent actually lack the literacy necessary to cope with most jobs and many everyday situations. If that is the case in the U.S., how do youth fare in underdeveloped regions such as sub-Saharan Africa where one in three adults cannot read, and youth literacy is the lowest of any region?

Is there a simple way to accomplish the goal of the UN's July 15 Youth Skills Day campaign: to "transform youth skills for the future"? Scientology Volunteer Ministers say there is, and they are already well on their way to putting their solution into effect. They are helping empower educators with seminars at Kyalami Castle, Scientology headquarters in South Africa.

The results are dramatic.

At Makgongoana Secondary school in Mankweng, a township in Limpopo Province, passing rate of graduating students was an underperforming 39 percent. After implementing the Volunteer Ministers program, the school had the highest pass rate in the district for three years in a row.

This transformation began when William Ramodike, deputy principal of the school and pastor at the local Zion Christian Church, searched for solutions. And he learned about an Empowerment and Success Interfaith Seminar to be delivered by the Scientology Volunteer Ministers at Castle Kyalami.

"I was introduced to a free life skills community development program called Tools for Life," he said of the seminar. "It became clear to me that God had led me to the right place. The program trained me on skills to handle study difficulties, communication, conflict resolution, achieving goals, ethics, and much more."

Convinced he had found a practical way to resolve study problems, he immediately applied what he learned.

"And it brought fantastic results," he said.

He began by implementing Study Technology, methods developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard that have tremendous application in the secular sphere. Based on a comprehensive understanding of the actual barriers to effective learning, Study Technology provides precise tools to overcome these barriers, ensuring the ability to learn and apply any body of knowledge. A free introductory online course on Study Technology is part of the Tools For Life courses, available in 18 languages including Zulu through the Scientology website.

School principal Dr. S.E.L Modjadji backed Ramodike's implementation, which was so successful that it increased the school's graduating pass rate from 39 to over 80 percent.

"These tools for life really changed my life because they are applicable in any situation in society," said Ramodike. "They help me facilitate lessons, help my fellow pastors in church, handle my household affairs and anything life can throw at me."

Study Technology has empowered his students to learn skills they need to escape poverty and set a new course for themselves, their communities and country.

"We are more than just helping kids pass," said Ramodike. "We are also ensuring that they become valuable and contributing members of society who can make a positive change."

For more information on the practical application of this technology, watch an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network on the work of Dr. Olatunde Odewumi whose program to train educators in Nigeria has introduced this new method of education to hundreds of thousands in his country. And for more information on the work of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa, visit the interactive timeline on the Scientology website.

Castle Kyalami serves as a home for the community and a nexus for all who share the goal of bettering the lives of individuals and strengthening communities across the region, nation and all of Africa. Mr. David Miscavige, ecclesiastical leader of the Scientology religion, dedicated Kyalami Castle on New Year's Day 2019, reaffirming the commitment of Mr. Hubbard that "from Southern Africa will spring the next great civilization on this planet."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.org/20-21/#south-africa

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/dr-olatunde-odewumi.html

https://www.scientology.org/courses/

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO: https://youtu.be/WaLkJyOZFDc

As the UN launches its Youth Skills Day campaign for 2022 with its motto "transforming youth skills for the future," Scientology Volunteer Ministers are providing educators throughout South Africa with the tools to accomplish this goal.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister from Nepal Brought Help to His Nation

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Seven years ago this month, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. A Scientology Volunteer Minister led rescue workers, Scouts and volunteers who arrived from across the world on a mission to save lives.

Within 24 hours of the earthquake that rocked Nepal on April 25, 2015, killing some 8,800, Scientology Volunteer Minister Binod Sharma mobilized an emergency response team in Kathmandu. He led his volunteers as they combed through the rubble of his ravaged city for survivors. And he went on to lead an international team of rescue workers and volunteers to help his people. His story is documented in an episode of Voices for Humanity on the Scientology Network.

Sharma acted as interpreter for Los Topos, the famous Mexican search and rescue team, and Colombia's National Circle of Aid Technicians (CINAT), who were brought to Nepal by Volunteer Ministers international headquarters in Los Angeles. And he coordinated their activities with the work of Volunteer Ministers arriving from India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, and as far away as Australia, Denmark and America.

Among those arriving were EMTs, nurses and doctors, and Sharma's team helped them provide needed medical care and first aid to those injured by the quake in Kathmandu. And the Volunteer Ministers went with them to remote towns and villages cut off by rubble and the remains of destroyed vehicles that blocked the roads through treacherous mountain passes.

They provided food and temporary shelter and helped rebuild homes and schools.

Sharma led his teams across forgotten villages and districts hit by disaster, ultimately bringing help to 4 million Nepalese. And to bring permanent help, he established a Volunteer Minister headquarters in Kathmandu training more than 150 Volunteer Minister groups across his nation.

In recognition of Sharnma's humanitarian work, Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige presented him with the International Association of Scientologists Freedom Medal in 2017.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/binod-sharma.html

Seven years ago this month, a 7.8 magnitude earthquake devastated Nepal. A Scientology Volunteer Minister led rescue workers, Scouts and volunteers who arrived from across the world on a mission to save lives. Sharma acted as interpreter for Los Topos, the famous Mexican search and rescue team.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How a Scientology Volunteer Minister and a Christian Priest Worked Together to Help Uganda

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- At an open house at the Church of Scientology Amsterdam earlier this month, held in commemoration of World Civil Defense Day, Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt introduced those attending to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program. He shared how he and a Christian priest worked together to help Uganda communities overcome challenges and increase sustainability.

The Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service founded in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

Kruijt recently went to Uganda to help Rev. Samuel Richard Sembuya establish and train a new Volunteer Ministers group.

Last year, Rev. Sembuya came across the Scientology website on the Internet and enrolled on one of its free online Tools for Life courses.

On completing the first course, Sembuya felt so empowered with what he learned, he continued taking one after another and rapidly learned all 19 subjects.

The priest formed a local Volunteer Ministers group and reached out to the international headquarters of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers whose website offers on-site seminars.

Rev. Sembuya and his team confront many challenges. UNICEF estimates that 55 percent of children in Uganda age 0-4 live in poverty and 24 percent in extreme poverty. Some 20,000 people are crowded into eight slum areas around Jinja.

"A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence," wrote Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard in announcing the Volunteer Ministers program. "Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

The courses Rev. Sembuya completed are the backbone of this training.

Jan-Maarten Kruijt always wanted to use his Volunteer Minister skills in Africa. So when he learned from a friend about Rev. Sembuya's request, he volunteered to go.

Kruijt told those gathered for the Civil Defense Day open house of his adventures in Uganda, where Sembuya had booked three weeks of daily seminars and meetings for his new friend. First Kruijt trained the priest's new disaster response group in each chapter of the Scientology Handbook, the textbook of the Volunteer Minister. There was plenty of practical experience in each of the skills they learned.

Kruijt went out with the group to supervise them as they used these tools in their community outreach until they were confident in the application of the technology and able to train others in its use.

The Jinja fire and police departments worked closely with the new Volunteer Ministers group, calling on them to help at fires and traffic accidents.

Kruijt also provided a seminar to teachers at a school where he trained them on the Technology of Study developed by Mr. Hubbard.

"In Uganda, I saw a lot of conflict among different religious and political groups," says Kruijt. "People are looking for something that can connect them across these lines - something they can believe in, regardless of what else they believe. More and more people are finding this now in the technology of Scientology."

The Church of Scientology Amsterdam provides open house events and other programs where community leaders, officials, nonprofits and other religious groups can work together to overcome challenges and provide service to the greater community.

The Church of Scientology Amsterdam is an Ideal Scientology Organization, configured to provide ideal facilities to service Scientologists on their ascent to greater states of spiritual freedom and to serve as a home for the entire community and a meeting ground of cooperative effort to uplift people of all denominations. The new Church was dedicated by Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige in October 2017.

LEARN MORE:

https://www.volunteerministers.org

https://www.volunteerministers.org/solutions/

https://www.scientology-amsterdam.org/

MULTIMEDIA:

VIDEO (YouTube): https://youtu.be/nGRWeCFOtI8

At an open house at the Church of Scientology Amsterdam earlier this month, held in commemoration of World Civil Defense Day, Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt introduced those attending to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program. He shared how he and a Christian priest worked together to help Uganda communities overcome challenges and increase sustainability.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

How a Village Adopts the Scientology Tools for Life to Help People Thrive

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- A family and their friends decided to make Wanga Parish in Eastern Uganda a self-sustaining community with people empowered through Scientology online courses.

"It all started when my Aunt Milly gave me a phone call in August last year," says Arthur Wamatsu. She introduced him to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program and its 19 online courses. "She asked me to take them as they would change my life for good."

Arthur began studying the courses and was so excited about what he learned, he shared it with his brother and his aunt Agnes. He introduced the courses to his dad, Martin, and his uncle Hanan, who are both teachers. Next came his friend Sarah who is studying nursing and midwifery, and she shared the news with four of her friends.

Arthur, his dad, uncle, and aunts Agnes and Milly decided to extend this life-changing project to Wanga Parish, their birthplace - a community struggling in poverty.

"We all arrived from different areas to our birth village on the same day," says Arthur. "Since then, we have never looked back. Our primary target has been making Wanga Parish a self-sustaining community with fully empowered people using the Scientology online courses."

They worked out four immediate projects:

* To train 400 residents of Wanga through Scientology online courses.

* To start a secondary school in this parish - there is none now.

* To create a medical clinic there - none now exists.

* To provide seeds, pigs and chickens to Wanga residents to mitigate famine and starvation and give them the basis of creating a livelihood.

They met with village elders and local leaders, who endorsed their plan.

Key was to put 400 people through the courses, because then they would have the skills to help accomplish the other targets. They immediately began an intensive training program.

"So far, 360 have completed the training and the remaining 40 are about to begin," says Arthur. "A secondary school has now been registered and we are mobilizing resources to start construction. Our family has donated 10 acres to build it on."

"We are still in the process of mobilizing seeds for planting since most of these residents have been in an 84-week lockdown and they ate all their seeds and now have none to plant."

When they began the program, they discovered that many of the youths were alcoholics and used drugs. So they had them study the online Scientology course on drugs. But they also introduced a football tournament and grouped the young kids and the older ones in two different groups.

"After doing their garden work, they play soccer late into the evening instead of doing drugs," he says.

Vicky, a nurse who has completed the Volunteer Ministers training, has moved to Wanga and will work in the clinic once it opens. Meanwhile, she provides first aid and Scientology assists - techniques developed by L. Ron Hubbard to speed recovery by addressing the emotional and spiritual factors in stress and trauma.

"The other very good news is that the parish next door has requested we train their people too," says Arthur. "In a village of 1,000 people, we will soon have 400 fully trained Volunteer Ministers. That is almost the entire adult population as 60 percent of our population is children."

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard. It constitutes one of the world's largest independent relief forces. Scientology ecclesiastical leader Mr. David Miscavige, calling on Scientologists to use what they know to redouble their efforts to aid their fellow man, has inspired tremendous growth in the Volunteer Ministers movement.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring purpose, truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

LEARN MORE:

https://www.scientology.tv/series/voices-for-humanity/binod-sharma.html

https://www.scientologynews.org/press-releases/how-a-village-adopts-the-scientology-tools-for-life-to-help-people-thrive.html

https://www.scientology.org/courses/

A family and their friends decided to make Wanga Parish in Eastern Uganda a self-sustaining community with people empowered through Scientology online courses. "It all started when my Aunt Milly gave me a phone call in August last year," says Arthur Wamatsu. She introduced him to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers program and its 19 online courses.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/

Scientology Disaster Response Team Helps Quito Dig Out After Devastating Landslide

LOS ANGELES, Calif. /ScoopCloud/ -- Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Ecuador are working with rescue workers and cleanup crews to help the city recover.

The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a landslide on Quito's La Gasca and La Comuna neighborhoods January 31 to February 1. A torrent of water, mud, rock and debris crashed down the slopes of Pichincha Volcano, toppling houses and killing 24. Waves of mud lifted motorcycles and cars and swept them away.

Scientology Volunteer Ministers coordinated with officials, disaster response specialists Los Topos Azteca, and other emergency personnel who are working to help those affected by the disaster.

With the whole area engulfed in mud, Volunteer Ministers in their bright yellow T-shirts grabbed shovels and worked with cleanup crews to clear the roads.

They distributed clothing donated by a local factory to families who lost their possessions in the disaster. They brought donated food and supplies to victims and rescue crews.

The Volunteer Ministers of Ecuador headquarters is the Church of Scientology Mission of Quito.

The Church of Scientology Volunteer Ministers program is a religious social service created in the mid-1970s by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard.

A Volunteer Minister's mandate is to be "a person who helps his fellow man on a volunteer basis by restoring truth and spiritual values to the lives of others." Their creed: "A Volunteer Minister does not shut his eyes to the pain, evil and injustice of existence. Rather, he is trained to handle these things and help others achieve relief from them and new personal strength as well."

Their motto is, no matter the circumstances, "Something can be done about it."

RELATED LINKS:

http://www.quito.scientologymissions.org/

https://www.volunteerministers.org/

Scientology Volunteer Ministers from Ecuador are working with rescue workers and cleanup crews to help the city recover. The worst downpour in nearly two decades unleashed a landslide on Quito's La Gasca and La Comuna neighborhoods January 31 to February 1.

Related link: https://www.scientology.org/