| Scientology Volunteer Ministers, Nick and Erin, traveled | | | | through raising awareness get more help to the people |
| to Kolkata, India in an effort to make a difference. | | | | here, especially the children,” reflected Nick. |
| Every year, 26 million children reach school age in India. | | | | These two young Scientology Volunteer Ministers |
| With this, the problem of education in a severely | | | | helped teach English and mathematics to the slum |
| overcrowded school system becomes even more | | | | children. They used study technology developed by L. |
| unmanageable. Despite increased school enrollment, | | | | Ron Hubbard to helping the kids improve their learning. |
| some estimate that as many as 50% of India’s | | | | “Mr. Hubbard discovered that the first barrier to |
| children do not attend school. That’s more than 150 | | | | study is not having the real thing there that you are |
| million kids. | | | | studying about. The real things or the object that you |
| Time to bring out the Volunteer Ministers! As Church | | | | study are called mass,” said Erin “So, for |
| of Scientology leader, David Miscavige, described the | | | | example, we made sure the kids had things they could |
| Scientology Volunteer Ministers program: “The final | | | | actually count with, 5 little wooden blocks lets say that |
| word, as regards our front-line work bringing our help | | | | represented the number 5, so they didn’t have to |
| wherever and whenever needed is our corps of | | | | do it all in their heads. They liked that!” |
| Scientology Volunteer Ministers — on call, 24 hours a | | | | “Conditions here are the worst of the worst,” |
| day in scores of nations.” | | | | they wrote to their friends. “It’s been just a |
| “Slumdog Millionaire opened our eyes to the horrible | | | | continual amazement to both of us that there have |
| conditions in India. We decided to go there and | | | | been such magical moments, and bright smiling faces in |
| volunteer in the slums and we funded it ourselves,” | | | | amongst everything else. With all that’s going on in |
| said Erin. | | | | the world it can be very easy to get wrapped up in |
| “We thought if we could bring help there to some | | | | one’s own problems,” they continued. “The |
| of the children who had no formal education and no | | | | truth is that there are so many people in need of help |
| real hope in life, at least that would be doing something | | | | and with far worse conditions than most can possible |
| about it,” said Nick. | | | | imagine. We decided to turn our efforts toward others |
| | | | for a few months and make a difference.” |
| While in India, Nick and Erin documented their work in | | | | For more information on the Scientology Volunteer |
| the slums to communicate an accurate view of living | | | | Ministers program visit the Scientology Video |
| conditions in India. “We wanted to let people back | | | | Channel. |
| home know what it’s REALLY like living here, and | | | | |