Religious Unity: A Christian Reverend And A Scientology Volunteer Minister Tackle Poverty In Uganda

Sep 21, 2023

Key Takeaways

  • Rev. Samuel Richard Sembuya and Scientology Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt are collaborating to address the poverty issue in Uganda through skills training workshops and community empowerment.
  • Uganda has a high poverty rate, with 40% of the population living in poverty and almost half of Ugandans under the age of 15.
  • The Scientology Volunteer Ministers' motto, "Something can be done about it," reflects their commitment to providing practical solutions to issues like malnutrition and poverty.
  • Rev. Sembuya found the Tools for Life development program on the Scientology website and completed the online courses, empowering him to help local communities.
  • Kruijt, an experienced Scientology Volunteer Minister, travelled from South Africa to Uganda to provide skills development workshops, train local teachers, and execute projects to support the community.

Rev. Samuel Richard Sembuya and Scientology Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt recently joined hands to tackle the poverty issue in Uganda by providing effective skills.

Midrand, Gauteng, South Africa - September 21, 2023 —

Rev. Samuel Richard Sembuya and Scientology Volunteer Minister Jan-Maarten Kruijt recently joined hands to tackle the poverty issue in Uganda by providing effective skills. The two held a recent training workshop with the aim of empowering the community.

Tired of the chaotic situation in this beloved country, they found themselves more than ready to bring practical solutions that can bring relief. 

In Uganda, with some 40 percent of the population living in poverty and almost half of Ugandans are under the age of 15, making this one of the youngest populations in the world. A passion for empowering the people of this country brought two religious ministers together: Samuel Richard Sembuya, a Christian priest and missionary committed to the spiritual and physical transformation of Uganda communities and Jan-Maarten Kruijt, a Scientology Volunteer Minister shared his passion.

With malnutrition causing deaths of four in ten children under age 5, they prove that “Something can be done about it,” the motto of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers. Rev. Sembuya came across the Scientology Volunteer Ministers Tools for Life development program on the Scientology website, completed all 19 online courses, he realized he now had the tools to help local communities overcome the challenges they face. But fairly new to the program, he wanted the help of an experienced Scientology Volunteer Minister to train a group of volunteers who could work as a team to empower villages in the districts of Jinja and Buikwe. He reached out to the international headquarters of the Scientology Volunteer Ministers and requested an on-site seminar.

Some 6,000 miles away, Jan-Maarten Kruijt, a Scientology Volunteer Minister, learned about Sembuya and immediately volunteered to travel to Africa to provide this training.

Together, these two men set in motion an initiative they hope will change the region from one beset by poverty to one with a bright future.

Kruijt took Sembuya’s core volunteers through a skills development workshop on the Scientology Tools for Life. He and Sembuya introduced the Jinja fire and police departments to the program and the volunteers, who now help authorities whenever needed. They trained local teachers on educational methods developed by Scientology Founder L. Ron Hubbard to ensure youth can make the most of their education. And they planned and executed projects to help those affected by misfortune, and vulnerable members of the community, all the while training new Volunteer Ministers in villages throughout the region.

There is much to be done, but Sembuya and his team say they are up for the challenge.

The Scientology Volunteer Minister program is a skills development, disaster response and religious social service developed by L. Ron Hubbard in 1973 and sponsored by the Church of Scientology with volunteers across 185 nations.

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.”



Contact Info:
Name: SANDILE HLAYISI
Email: Send Email
Organization: CHURCH OF SCIENTOLOGY SOUTH AFRICA
Address: Gauteng, South Africa
Phone: +27 061 907 9325
Website: https://www.castlekyalami.org.za/

Social Media:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/castle.kyalami
Twitter: https://twitter.com/africa_vm
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/castle_kyalami/?hl=en
Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgDogs77JAdDTDV3p6Zc5IA/

Video URL: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S3TKH8SPR80

Release ID: 89108115

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