OEK084 Shelter for addicts
project description
Addiction care in Ukraine usually just looks to the physical condition of addicts, with all the associated consequences. The local church built a shelter called ‘The Anchor’, to help drug and alcohol addicts. Margreet van Beest, former diaconal missionary worker of our churches, was involved in this project until the beginning of 2016. Our financial support aims to help the successors of Margreet to bring future perspective to the addicts: starting from quitting the use of drugs and alcohol to living independently, working and building relationships.
why this project?
Since addiction care is hardly present in Ukraine, addicts are easily going back to their old life style of using drugs or alcohol. In the shelter The Anchor the caretakers start making a treatment plan together with each client. Clients start to work actively on their own problems that underlie their addiction. By going through the process of development, The Anchor aims to accomplish for the long term the return of the clients to their own homes.
impact?
Each year around 10 people stay in The Anchor. They receive emotional stability, physical health care, and psychological supervision. The church in Zhytomyr provides spiritual support. Most clients complete their treatment, only a few relapse. Some clients discover the Christian faith and join the church. The Anchor recruit new clients by distributing flyers and going for visits to other addiction care institutes.
what can we learn?
Hopeless situations can be changed when pure love and complete professional treatment are given for recovery. Do we give a chance to people who seem hopeless? Do we give room to them in our hearts, prayers and deeds?
