Yakeba’s History 1999 – 2008
Yakeba is Born
Yakeba was established as a non-profit foundation by a notarized act on 10th April 1999, and subsequently registered with the Law Department on 13th April 1999.
Yakeba’ Mission
Yakeba’s original mission was to establish a Recovery Center for Alcoholics and Drug Addicts. The center began operations in January 2000.
Not long afterwards, it became obvious that there was another problem closely linked to drug addiction: that of HIV/AIDS ~ especially amongst the injecting drug using (IDU community.
Consequently, Yakeba’s mission was extended to be: “The treatment and education of all people who are affected by drug, alcohol and HIV/AIDS problems and those at risk”. Yakeba believes that recovery from addiction is best served when the people who have the problem are a part of the solution. Yakeba also believes that those with HIV/AIDS problems (and those at risk) are best served by people who know and understand the problem.
Yakeba’s Recovery Center
After paying the rent, the premises was set up, staff recruited, and Bali’s first recovery center began operations in early January 2000.
It was meant to be financially sustainable, but most of the residents came to Yakeba with little or no money. Providence shined on Yakeba again with financial support from a US-based family trust and as Yakeba grew bigger, from a Bali-based private company. These funds enabled Yakeba to provide care, support and treatment to a largely financially underprivileged group of IDU.
In late 2000, Yakeba moved temporarily to Perian (on the Bedugul road) and then to Lalang Linggah in west Bali where it began to build its own center.
By the time the rehabilitation center was closed in September 2004 (due to a lack of continuing financial support), it had helped more than 180 young Indonesian on the road to recovery. More than 30% of the rehab’s residents are clean today and many of them have moved on to become valuable members of Bali’s growing NGO community ~ working in the fields of HIV/AIDS prevention, HIV/AIDS Community-based Awareness Programs, Harm Reduction Programs and Counseling.
Yakeba’s Office in Denpasar
In early 2001, Yakeba began negotiating a contract with IHPCP to establish an office in Denpasar.
Specific objectives included:
• To establish an HIV/AIDS & Drug Information and Referral Center aimed at IDU and students—with an emphasis on the negative social effects of drug abuse
• To establish After-Care Programs, IDU-Support Groups and Education Services to schools, universities, faculties, government departments and the tourist industry
• To organize Capacity and Skill Development Building in the IDU community
Within a few months, the following had been achieved:
• HIV/AIDS Awareness Programs were established in schools
• The Denpasar office began supporting the recovery center in West Bali
• A library pertaining to HIV/AIDS and drugs was established
• Support Teams for ex-addicts were established
• A Free Counseling Service was established
• The office hosted Alcoholics Anonymous (AA), Narcotics Anonymous (NA), Alanson and Naranon meetings on a regular basis
• An IDU Needs Assessment Survey was undertaken
• A safe place where addicts, ex-addicts, staff and volunteers could share confidentially was established
• Yakeba began networking with other Bali-based NGOs and non-Bali-based NGOs
• Staff training (both in– and out-of-house) began
• NA meetings in the prison were supported
• Counseling for IDU in the prison were commenced
