Byline: Sandile Hlayisi

Recently, an exceptional 230 Gauteng Department of Health, Wellness staff and EMS (Emergency Medical Services) graduated from a skills development program called Tools for Life delivered at Castle Kyalami by the Scientology Volunteer Ministers. This was part of an employee wellness and empowerment partnership endorsed by the MEC of Gauteng Health and Wellness, Ms. Nomantu Nkomo-Ralehoko, also present at the ceremony. The staff made it through the training to be better equipped to face the various trauma they get hit with almost daily.

The graduates came from Gauteng Health and Wellness, EMS, Chaplaincy and Faith Based Organizations – all trained very hard to learn those very timely practical skills.  Those skills included Assists for illnesses and injuries, how to resolve conflicts, poverty alleviation, youth empowerment, tackling learning barriers, improving the quality of education, communication, business ethics, improving self-confidence, how to achieve goals, successful relations, public relations, financial ethics, overcoming drug abuse and many more needed to be successful in improving the current conditions that plague our country.

“Today we recognize your hard work and dedication and also recognize all the lifesaving work you do on a daily basis. We are committed to creating a better society and I want to thank this partnership with the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for their selflessness and humanitarian intervention to equip my staff with tools to bring change to society,” said the MEC as she was congratulating her staff on completing the program. 

“Today we are graduating 230 people that are working in the department but there is still more to come as over 700 have been trained and we are looking forward to their graduating. I have heard from them that this training has brought change in their lives and this needs to be done on a broad scale,” continued the MEC.

Wanting to provide succor to those who help society, the MEC’s office decided to collaborate with the Scientology Volunteer Ministers in empowering Gauteng Health staff with practical life skills they can use to improve conditions.

“Graduating this program is no small accomplishment and you now join the 23,000 other South Africans who are using these skills and taking action to better Mzansi. Their application of these skills and successes make the important point that these simple but powerful skills work. This partnership with the Department of Health is an example of the great deeds we can achieve when we work together to tackle the issues that we face as society,” said Sandile Hlayisi, Chairperson of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers who conducted these training sessions.

Hlayisi opened the ceremony with words of encouragement.  “Each and every one now has the ability and responsibility to achieve many great deeds that will benefit society. In the words of the late Nelson Mandela, “Sometimes it falls upon a generation to be great. You can be that great generation. Let your greatness blossom”, you have now been equipped with more skills to assist you in your heroic duty of bringing health to our people.”

One of the graduates was the Station Manager for Westonaria station said, “This Tools for Life skills program is not just theoretical training, it is actually practical and they address real daily life challenges. I want to say a special thanks to my district director, my director and our MEC who are very keen about health and they are all education driven and create opportunities for us to improve.”

Another graduate who is the Secretary General of the Gauteng Faith Based Organization, Pastor Abel Mahachi, said “I was struggling to deal with marital issues and with this training I was literally able to salvage 2 marriages and I helped them to resolve that conflict and today they are happy. This training has helped me to bring a practical solution in solving problems. I have learned how to become a better person, better leader, how to handle church conflicts and community conflicts. This has sharpened my skills as a leader and I thank the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for that.”

The Chief Chaplain of the Gauteng Department of Health also graduated and said, “The Tools for Life have taught me how to be more resilient, have knowledge and strength to face challenges and pressure going forward. I really want to thank the Department of Health for finding it very important for us to have this training and making it available to us and thank you to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers for the great work.”

This was followed by another graduate who works at a mental health hospital in Soshanguve who said “This is a transformational programme and it has really enabled me to be a better leader in my community and I now use my platform to educate other, we are going to raise better children and a better society from this training.”

“Congratulations to the graduates today. We are proud of you for achieving this milestone. It is an indication that you can learn and learn more. I am glad that this Graduation Ceremony is in part fulfilment of one of the 17 priorities I set for the Gauteng Department of Health and Wellness. Today we celebrate. Tomorrow, we work and learn more. I am grateful to the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Africa, the officials in the Gauteng Department of Health, the Gauteng FBO and Gauteng EMS for the good partnership and good work done.” Concluded the MEC.

Hlayisi concluded that by working together, we can achieve more. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers and the Department of Health and Wellness have so far trained over 700 in this free Skills Development Program written by L. Ron Hubbard and aim to do more.