The Amazing Project - Stepping Back to Burma

Training of the first mobile Addiction Worker Team of “The Amazing Project – Stepping Back to Burma,” is well underway! Having studied the theory behind addiction work for 3 months, trainees now commence practical treatment of clients, guided by DARE Network’s Master Trainers.

Some trainees wanted to share a little of their stories with those who have helped to make this project possible.

Kaw, age 24, has become a trainee for DARE out of a strong conviction of its benefit for other people. Once he graduates he hopes to share his newfound knowledge about substance abuse, its causes, effects and how to prevent and treat it, with others. In the past he himself has used drugs and alcohol in ways that have led him to believe that they are not good for his life. Continuing to use them, he says, would someday harm his health, and furthermore harm those around him. Kaw's focus on the impact of his actions upon others leads him to choose to be a positive influence, rather than negative. “Drugs and alcohol destroys people’s love for the future. Addicted people have no plans for their future lives.”

As for the training, Kaw so far says he has been surprised by just how many topics there are to learn about surrounding addiction. An important message he has taken away is that small decisions accumulate to bigger consequences, including addiction. Though it will be a challenge, he seeks to be a good role model for friends and family and within his community. 

Hile, also a 24-year-old trainee in this project, passionately spoke of his love for the community as the key reason behind joining DARE. After graduating high school and college he set his mind on finding work that would do just this – fill a societal need within his community. He approached a Karen leader that had supported him through school, and this man explained about the upcoming training DARE Network was going to provide to create Hpa’an District’s mobile Addiction Worker Team. This leader emphasized the important of Addiction Work for Karen people, for Burma, and for the local community.

This made sense to Hile, and he says he took time to evaluate his own views about being part of such work for the community. He himself has encountered the effects of addiction – his uncle in the village is an alcoholic, an addiction that severely affects his health, his family, and his general life. His uncle encouraged Hile to apply for this training - so he applied to become a DARE Network trainee. “But I want to say that before all this, after graduating from high school, I had already decided for myself that I wanted to represent my community, and to serve my community’s needs. And I don’t mind if it’s hard or not. I look back to the Karen people and the political situation, and this is important to me.”

Hile felt inspired to join DARE by this motto from his school days,

            ‘Put the wind on your shoulders,

            And serve the people with all your heart and soul.’

U San is the oldest of Step Back to Burma trainees, and brings to the table his own experience of addiction which he himself has been through and recovered from through the DARE Network treatment program. At 53, he now hopes to actively become part of the solution for the issue of addiction, which afflicts so many within his community.

U San's own rehabilitation sparked his interest in becoming an Addiction Worker himself. He furthermore felt moved to deal with the rising numbers of young people that he has seen become addicted.

U San also says that he saw an example in Pam, the Canadian Addiction Specialist who co-founded DARE in 2000 alongside local community leaders. Why shouldn’t he too, as a Karen community member who has been affected by addiction, be part of the solution? U San knows that within Karen State many more young people are affected by addiction, and it is for their sakes that he is training to become an addiction worker. 

Chitwah, age 24, chose to work with DARE because of its importance for the community, though she fully anticipates that it will be hard work to do. “Because many people - especially youth - use drugs, we have to train to do this work for them, for their future. Some people know that addiction is not good so they want to change their lives.” Chitwah trains to be able to walk others through how to make this change happen. She has no experience with addiction herself, something she says she thinks about as she goes through training. She has also never been to Burma, where she and the rest of the current trainees will be working when they graduate in a few short months.

Chitwah personally believes in the high value of education as a preventative method against addiction. Though learning to treat people that are addicted interests her, Chitwah's passion is for education – both in terms of learning for herself about addiction and about DARE, and in being able to teach others. She wanted to say this to all who have helped to make “The Amazing Project, Stepping Back to Burma” possible: “I am thankful to people supporting this program, and the opportunity it has given me for training. Wherever I am in life I will remember the education I am getting from this training here – I will hold onto it.”

As DARE Network prepares to make the step into Burma and to begin work in Karen State, your support to make this work possible. Thank you for being part of this journey with us.

Links:

• DARE Network website