Residents, teachers, neighbourhood watch members and street committee members recently took part in a development programme called Tools for Life. The training focused sharing valuable information about Covid-19.
The Scientology Volunteer Minister Life Skills Development Programme hosted the free sessions at the Dagbreek Community Hall, in Westridge, on Wednesday August 11.
Tools for Life offers training in advanced communication skills, organisational ability, efficiency, work ethics and professionalism. The Scientology Volunteer Ministers, registered as The Volunteer Ministers Africa Association, is a public benefit organisation whose activities are sponsored by the Church of Scientology in South Africa.
Since the declaration of the national state of disaster in March 2020, the Volunteer Ministers have been working with the government and people of South Africa, said Alba Jimenez, Western Cape Volunteer Minister in charge.
Since the level 2 lockdown, she said “we have expanded our disaster response activities to cover economic and social disasters with a Tools for Life training programme to improve efficiency, productivity and organisation”.
Ms Jimenez led the course on Wednesday with her partner Egor Borisiule, the volunteer minister co-ordinator for the Western Cape.
Portland sub-forum secretary, and chairwoman of L&C Community Outreach group, Luce-Lynn Fondling, said she had made contact with the Scientology Volunteer Minister Life Skills development programme volunteers.
“Our community needs to gain the knowledge on this virus and know what to do in a situation where they are met with the virus in their homes or when in contact with a person infected with Covid-19,” she said.
Ms Fondling said they were training teachers, street committee members and neighbourhood watch members and had been fogging (fumigating) the Mitchell’s Plain police station, schools and spaces the community makes use of.
“These are the tools needed to equip ourselves. People are dying every day and it’s best we all take precaution as soon as we can, with the knowledge of the virus we gain in the course,” said Ms Fondling.
Chairperson of the Portland sub-forum, Munier Hendricks, said this course helped uplift the community and ad that “we are seeing the difference in Covid-19 infections in these spaces too”.
Stephanie Smythe from Annie’s ECD (early childhood development) centre in Portland said the course had been interesting, informative and very helpful. “It is an eye-opening experience. We get to learn about the virus, and keep ourselves safe and those we love,” she said.
General worker at Liesbeeck Primary School, Mariam Othman said she appreciated being a part of the development programme.
“We have been following protocols and we have been improving the conditions during the pandemic. There was a lack of knowledge but now we know how to handle it,” said Ms Othman.
