Help and Empowerment: The Scientology Volunteer Ministers of South Africa

More than 12,000 South Africans have now trained on the Scientology Tools for Life courses and are using the technology in their lives, their careers, and to help others. 

The winds of change are blowing through South Africa, with thousands trained as Volunteer Ministers through the Scientology Tools for Life courses. They are applying these tools and reaching out with help in greater and greater numbers. 

On International Volunteer Day, we honor these volunteers as a living example of positive change through volunteerism.

At a recent ceremony at Kyalami Castle in Midrand, South Africa, 700 educators completed the Scientology Tools for Life courses. Sandile Hlayisi, chairperson of the South African Scientology Volunteer Ministers, who conducted these training sessions, spoke to the graduates about the new skills they have gained and that they now have the potential of fulfilling the mandate of the late Nelson Mandela. “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom.” 

His views were echoed by graduates.

“They have equipped us with the tools to be councilors for our people,” said Rev. Phampha William Ramodike, a deputy principal from Limpopo. “They have given us the tools to get our kids off drugs. They have given us the tools to solve conflicts, mend marriages and restore hope to our country. All of us in this auditorium are now capable of great deeds and we will achieve them by applying what we learned.”

A community development leader from the City of Tshwane said, “I am so proud to be part of this program. It has really impacted me and my way of operating.”

A senior executive from Family Tree Holdings, a black-owned and managed investment holdings company, spoke of the profound change this program had on her outlook. “It taught me to be selfless and do all I can to help society because it is the right thing to do.”

But the value of any tool is in its use. And this is demonstrated by the successful application by graduates of the Volunteer Ministers program.

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.

“It became clear to me that God had led me to the right place,” said the deputy principal. “The program trained me on skills to handle study difficulties, communication, conflict resolution, achieving goals, ethics, and much more.”

A successful retired farmer 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 to combat unemployment among agricultural graduates. 

“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.” 

During the pandemic, Scientology Volunteer Ministers cleaned and sanitized more than 9 billion square feet of South African public spaces including government offices, transportation facilities, orphanages, senior residences and schools.

And newly trained teams of Volunteer Ministers demonstrated the impact of their grassroots activities when they responded in the wake of civil unrest in July 2021 as documented on the new interactive timeline on the Scientology website.

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.