APON (AshoktiPunorbashonNibash or Addiction Rehabilitation Residence)
Brother Ronald Drahozal, csc has founded APON on the 1st October, 1994 with the permission from the Founding Organization of “The Congregation of Holy Cross, Brothers Society”. He was a Holy Cross Brother of St. Joseph Province, Bangladesh. At first this center was started on temporary basis at 32/1A Shajahan Road, Mohammedpur, Dhaka. Later on in July, 2007, APON Center has been shifted and started running in its own permanent premises at Apongaon, Jailla, Siangair, Manikgonj.
APON is a centre for the treatment and rehabilitation of drug addicts for all ages of all socio-economical background in Bangladesh. APON started its journey in October, 1994 with the slogan “An addict is sick, not bad, not mad.” Bro. Ronald Drahozal, csc used 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 months 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 5000 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 services 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.
Infrastructure of APON:
Brother Ronald Drahozal, csc, needed a site for APON outside from the urban life, detach from the urban noise because a proper rehabilitation process depends on natural environment far from the society. A proper treatment center should provide well and healthy environment. The site is surrounded by arable land.
APON is situated in green and noise-free lovely environment. APON has well equipped onefour storied building (measuring 40,000sft.) for male & boy (Bahini) patients, one two storied female center of 15,000sft. for female patients above 15 years of age and one three storied building (16,500sft.) for children’s education. The buildings have systems of well ventilation where uninterrupted fresh air flows through rooms and sunlight peep in the rooms throughout the year.
APON has a football/soccer/rugby play-ground measuring 180 ft. in length and 90 ft. width for physical and mental health improvement of residents & bahini .APON has a children’s park with some slides for children.
Membership and Affiliation:
a) APON is affiliated to the AFTC (Asian Federation of Therapeutic Community) under the WFTC (World Therapeutic Community) since 2002.
b) Associate Member of International Federation of NGOs for Dug Abuse Prevention (IFNGO).
Award Received: The Department of Narcotics, Government of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh, recognizes the good works and conferred awards of first place on 26 June, 2014 and afterwards more than five times after evaluating the performed noble activities of APON.
Goal: Creation of healthy Bangladesh Society through 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 a whole.
Objectives of APON:
· Recovering addicts live in a healthy atmosphere, help fellow addicts and their families to recover from the addiction.
· To disseminate knowledge of basic facts about drug abuse, addiction and the recovery process, including the Twelve Steps of Narcotics Anonymous.
· To provide an environment, in which addicts review their lifestyle, develop healthy attitudes, demonstrate sobriety and form good habits in daily life.
· To acquire sufficient skill training, education and other preparatory knowledge that will lead to constructive and gainful employment.
· 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.
· 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.
Operational Areas: APON receives merely drug addicted patients of irrespective caste, creed and religion from all over Bangladesh.
Program Activities:
· The provision of treatment, rehabilitation and after care for those suffering from the effects of drug abuse and addiction, with special emphasis on the young and poor, based on the concept of a Fellowship of Addicts helping addicts following the 12 steps Recovery Program towards a healthy physical, mental, emotional and spiritual life development.
· Undertaking of the public education, awareness raising and prevention programs focused on the existing dangers of drug abuse and addiction.
· Networking, collaboration and cooperation with all agencies, national and international, which are concerned with the issues related to drug misuse, abuse and addiction.
· This institution undertakes different activities, programs related to the Aim which is beneficial to the general public or a section of it.
Outreach Drop-In Center (ODIC): APON, following the footstep and love of Brother Ronald Drahozal, csc, runs an ODIC in a rented house at Mirpur Mazar Road, Dhaka. Drug addicted children and children at the risk of drug addiction flock into the center and stay here from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Sister Manju Rozario, csc with the assistance and collaboration of four staff members has been performing all activities from this ODIC. During day time, around 25 destitute children from surrounding danger zones are nurtured in the ODIC.
Field Animators (FA) regularly visit six areas of drug addiction zones, i.e. Mirpur Mazar areas, Gabtoli areas, Kamlapur Rail Station areas, Tejgaon Rail Station areas, Airport Rail Station areas, Sadarghat areas; gather neglected exploited & drug addicted around 25 children per areas; hold motivational educative discussion sessions, help them to get literacy classes, etc. If any child is motivated to get rid of drug and intends to come to APON then FAs bring him to APON Rehabilitation Center after consultation with guardian, if available.
Many children who received services & supports from ODIC, have become good citizens of Bangladesh; got employment in different sectors; got married and running good human life.
Halfway House- Dream House: The site of the present Halfway House at Fulbaria on the bank of the River Turag near Savar will one day be the permanent home of APON’s Dream House. This land of beautiful site was donated by kind hearted Md. Abdul Mallek, son of later A. K. Chowdhury, Phulbaria, Savar, Dhaka; but funds are required to build this urgently needed Center suitable for APON’ Residential Treatment, Follow-up and Rehabilitation Program.