APON(Ashokti Punorbashon Nibash) is a centre for the treatment and

rehabilitation of drug addicts for all ages. APON started its journey with the slogan

“An addict is sick, not bad, not mad.” In October 1994 by Bro. Ronald Drahozal

CSC to generate awareness in the community about drug addiction, rehabilitation

and to establish the right and opportunity of all drugs users to return to a new

healthy life, free of drugs. APON continues counseling, awareness and prevention

activities and has developed a six and half month rehabilitation program suitable

for the addicts of Bangladesh, adapting the principles of the 12 steps of Narcotics

Anonymous, Therapeutic Community and other related activities, especially group

sessions, for behavior change approach for both substance (drug) use and other

high risk activities that could lead to HIV/AIDS, Hepatitis, Tuberculosis etc.

The APON rehabilitation staffs are APON graduate recovering addicts and they got

many national and international certified drugs professional for many years so

they are positive role models. We believe that the drug users are an integral part of

society, communities and service providers should be involved in an effective

intervention to combat the drug abuse problem in Bangladesh.

 

The purpose of APON is not to make bad person good but to help a sick person to

become healthy. Since the inception of APON, more than 4000 drug users have

been admitted to APON plus hundreds of others who came or phoned for

Counseling and Information. Plus over 30,000 of their family members have

received support from APON, many at the Friday Family Meeting.

 

APON is the only organization in South Asia that we know of, who is providing

long term treatment and rehabilitation services for the male, female and children

(minor) drug users.

 

APON’s Goal and Aim

Goal : The creation of a healthy Bangladesh society through the establishment of

a drug abuse free community.

Aim : Treatment and Rehabilitation for drug addicts, and the delivery of related

educational and prevention services to the community as whole.

APON’s Objectives

1. Recovering addicts living in a healthy atmosphere, helping fellow addicts and

their families to recover from addiction.

2. To disseminate knowledge of basic facts about drug abuse, addiction and the

recovery process, including the Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous.

3. To provide an environment, in which addicts review their lifestyle, develop

healthy attitudes, demonstrate sobriety and form good habits in daily life.

4. To acquire sufficient skill training, education and other preparatory knowledge

that will lead to constructive and gainful employment.

5. To enable recovering addicts to make a full, active and positive contribution to

family and society, living a happy drug-free, crime-free and STD/HIV/AIDS-free

life, gainfully and constructively employed, motivating others to stay off drugs or

to get off drugs and avoiding high risk activities.

6. To provide drug prevention, motivational and life skill training for young drug

addicts and high-risk youngsters, especially those from poor and/or dysfunctional

families.