Criminon Africa
From the Desk of the Executive Director
New Appointment – 8th November 2009
Hello!
I am inspired. Today is a new day for me and marks a new and exciting beginning. Yet, it’s also part of a journey since my tenure as the Executive Director for Criminon Africa from 2000 to 2006.
When joining the group it consisted of 6 members in Criminon Gauteng (a State in South Africa) with a couple of hundred receiving correspondence courses. Criminon New Life Centre (a model juvenile diversion program located in the city of Pretoria, South Africa) was already established.
The products and achievements are many but here are some highlights:
• Expanded Criminon in South Africa into 5 Criminon branches in 5 cities including Criminon New Life Centre with 67 volunteers with over 1500 inmates on course weekly and between 20 and 30 juveniles at any given time at the New Life Centre.
• Established the first The Way to Happiness program for illiterate inmates (adults).
• Established a unique delivery program for inmates where they become supervisors and get others through the program.
• Presented Criminon to the Senior Government Officials (Federal level) of the Department of Correctional Services in South Africa, including the Minister of Correctional Services and his Aide at the time, Mr. Alfred Tsetsane. (Mr. Tsetsane was one of the guest speakers at the Opening of The Way to Happiness new headquarters in L.A.)
• Formed part of the 4-man team of the ABLE International delegation sent to the Nigerian Government to do a needs analysis on behalf of their government to introduce the LRH Social Betterment technology and ABLE programs.
• Formed part of the NEPAD (New Partnership for Africa’s Development) delegation in co-ordination with a Senior Executive and personally disseminated Criminon to 17 Ministers from 57 represented African countries.
• Established the very first L.Ron Hubbard Study Centre and Library in a correctional facility on the planet. (At Leeuwkop Correctional Facility, located near Johannesburg, South Africa, where L.Ron Hubbard visited in 1960’s and said “...probably the most modern prison on earth is Leeuwkop”.)
I’ve envisioned a planet where virtues are the lore of men. Where children can be free to play in the streets and parents can sleep peacefully at night without the threat of evil at the door. When punishment is no longer the shackles and chains of men but self-respect and integrity is his weapon of reason. It’s a vision I share with many who are driven on this same purpose.
To this end, I commit to lead Criminon by applying LRH’s technology to expand our network, to implement LRH’s technology as the method of rehabilitation and correction, and to bring about reforms to the justice system which aligns with Ron’s goal of a sane planet.
I thank you for what you’ve done to help.
Let me know what you need and want from me so I can be more effective in achieving our goals.
Best wishes,
Helena LaRocco
ED CRIMINON INTERNATIONAL