December 22, 1998
WE CARE A crusade that's close to home For the last 12 years Ameena Beedillae has worked tirelessly in her anti-drug crusade in Klong Toey slums. Having lost her own son to drugs, she wants to save other families from the grief that comes with drug-taking Karnjariya Sukrung For most people, the congested Klong Toey slum is not a particularly nice place to visit - let alone live. It is notorious as a den of crime and drugs. But 72-year-old Ameena Beedillae sees it differently. "It's my home," she said. It is this connection that has kept her constantly working to improve her life there. Every day, she walks the snaking lanes crammed with shanty houses knocking on doors. She befriends everyone in the hope that community ties will help tackle the drug problem. When she first arrived in Klong Toey, she worked as a dessert vendor planning to save enough money to pay off her debts and to return to her farm in Bangkok's Nong Chok district. But after 36 years she decided her home was in Klong Toey. "When I decided to settle here, I thought I should do something to make it a better place to live," she said. "Before, people didn't dare come to Klong Toey. Almost every outsider woul 'From my experience, I've never seen drug dealers really enjoy their dirty money. some died in jail, some became embroiled in blackmail and were killed and some died from addiction. But the hardest pain of all is that their children and children's children become drug addicts. It's a curse, I think.' --Ameena Beedillae d be robbed or hurt. It was really a wild world and I wanted to change that." Of the many problems plaguing the community, Mrs Ameena decided to dedicate herself to anti-drug campaigns about 12 years ago and she joined the Anti-Drug Volunteer Association. "The drug problem here is dreadful. If we don't work on prevention, it will be out of control." She knows first hand the pain drugs can bring. Her youngest son died from drug addiction when he was in his early 30s, six years ago. Since his death, she has devoted all her energy and time to the mission. "Parents whose children use drugs experience deep grief just as I did. I wouldn't wish that kind of grief on any parents," she said. Muslim women, she said, normally shut themselves off from matters outside family concerns. And she believes this is one of the main barriers to successful drugs prevention strategies. "If we don't open our hearts and accept drugs have knocked on our door and our children are becoming addicts, we cannot find solutions. We need to talk about it," she said. "I've seen people reading the Koran and attending prayers at the mosque, but our children are still hooked on drugs. Apart from religious preaching and traditions, I think we need to do other things too, to protect our children from drugs." Mrs Ameena once organised a forum to give her Muslim neighbours a chance to share their problems. "From that gathering, we found only 50 out of 200 families were free from drugs," she said. Initially Mrs Ameena, a practising muslim, felt awkward stepping out and working at the forefront of the movement, side by side with men. But not now. "Women have good ideas as well as men, we should not lock ourselves in the home. We should step out and do something good for our children, not only in our home, but in society as well. "It's our children who are at risk of drugs. If mothers don't protect them, I don't know who will." Effective prevention, however, needs public cooperation so she focuses her efforts on building community networks. She began doing so by talking with her neighbours, going from house to house to gather allies. "To tackle the problem, we have to start with families," said Mrs Ameena, who is now chairperson of the Anti-Drug Volunteer Association. "What I'm doing is collecting good people who want to do good things for society so we have the power to fight against drugs." At the beginning of her mission there was only one slum community joining the campaign. But now, after 12 years, 13 communities have become members - with 400 volunteers now working in the association. But she aims higher, to cover all 23 communities in the Klong Toey slum. "Given the seriousness of the drug problem now, what we are doing is a bit too late. But better late than never," she said. Each week, representatives from the 13 member communities attend a weekly meeting to organise activities and cement their relationships. Every Saturday evening the member groups organise door-knocking campaigns in their neighbourhood. In the anti-drug neighbourhood rally, association members visit and talk to slum dwellers to try and persuade them to make their homes drug-free zones. On many occasions, Mrs Ameena has been invited to conduct lectures and workshops for students in schools. With only a Prathom-four education, Mrs Ameena draws on her field work and experiences as the subject of lectures. Funding is limited and support comes partly from the Duang Prateep Foundation, Supanimitr Foundation and other non-governmental organisations. Therefore workshops can only be held when money allows. As a chairperson of the association, she is busy. Sometimes, she visits up to eight places a day, giving lectures and workshops and arriving home at 11 p.m. "I certainly get tired but after a good night's sleep, I am as good as new," she said. "Besides, I have nothing to worry about now I know there are people who will continue the mission when I'm gone." Her home in Klong Toey community lock 6 is often a hub of teenagers and children. In the evening, groups of youngsters gather there to join activities and chat. "We are going to organise an evening activity, perhaps basketball," said Udomsak Ketsuay, a 19-year-old university student. "And we help on the campaign, doing art work and taking care of the younger children." Teenagers like Udomsak are the spearhead and future leaders of Klong Toey's anti-drug movement. Mrs Ameena calls them for their creativity and assistance whenever there are activities. Mrs Ameena's work also includes helping those who want to try and quit using drugs, by putting them in contact with rehabilitation centres. So far, more than 100 children and adults have tried to come off drugs, through her efforts. Sadly though, only a few successfully quit for good. "It rarely works, as they come back to the same old rotten homes. The environment does not change and society doesn't give these people the opportunity to restart their lives. They can't work or study in good places, so they return to the vicious circle again, even deeper," she said. And the vicious cycle of drugs in the community, she notes, starts in the home. "In this poor community, parents are more concerned about how to make a living. They leave kids unattended and uncared for at home, so the children hang around with their peers and easily fall into drugs." It's not just the family situations though. She said the community itself has its fair share of social ills; crime, drugs, gambling and the sex trade. She said, gambling houses are the root of crime in the community. "Many people get into the drug dealing circle to pay their debts, if not they come to a dead end. And when parent sell drugs, children do too." During tough economic times, more slum dwellers resort to selling drugs for quick money. As a result, drug dealing has dramatically increased recently, she said. However, the number of drug addicts in the community has decreased in recent years and the trade has been aimed at outsiders. "From my experience, I've never seen drug dealers really enjoy their dirty money. Some died in jail, some became embroiled in blackmail and were killed and some died from addiction. But the hardest pain of all is that their children and children's children become drug addicts. It's a curse, I think." Although Mrs Ameena has the support of many volunteers, her work does not always run smoothly. Working against the drug mafia has put her life in danger. And she needs strong support from the police. "We need trustworthy police in the community to walk on our side. We sometimes have them, though often only for a short while," she said. Luckily, Mrs Ameena has been recognised and supported by the Office of the Narcotics Control Board. Although it is dangerous mission, she remains undaunted. "I'm not afraid. To die for something good makes living and dieing worthwhile," she said. "Life is short and being my age with death so close, it no longer matters." When the drug dealers used to threaten her Mrs Ameena used to invite them to her home for a chat. "I told them, I wouldn't intervene in their work, it's a police job. What I do is protect the youth and children from drugs and help those who want to quit. "They do their job and I do mine. We are in different jobs, with different ideals. And the ones who do better will win the battle," she said. It is perhaps this determination and dedication that has seen her work without being hurt. She has gained respect and friends not only from within her community, but also from outside. Wherever she goes, she is usually greeted with respect and smiles, from people eager to chat to her. Her dedication to the mission has helped her too when she was in trouble. Six years ago, her small house was destroyed in a blaze in the community. Mrs Ameena received much help from foundations and people she knew through work. For her devotion, Mrs Ameena is a fundamental part of her small community Lock 6. She has been trained as a public health volunteer. At her home, she has basic medication to give to the sick. Also, as someone who deals with the public she helps find elderly members in the community who might benefit from the physical therapy programme of the Thai Red Cross. She also distributes condoms as part of an Aids awareness campaign. Her extensive contribution to community work was recognised last year, when she was named as one of eight distinguished community developers in Bangkok. Over the years, Mrs Ameena has been working for the community on a voluntary basis. She earns a monthly salary of 1,500 baht from the anti-Aids work, and she gets a token sum when she is invited to give lectures. "I earn my life. I want nothing more now. I have enough to live. I'm happy with what I'm doing and feel the merit I gain. "I will go forward until I can't. I'm already addicted to it - the anti-drug campaign. Try it and you'll know. I've done it for 12 years and don't have a the slightest thought of quitting," she said. Donations Information: Contact person : Ameena Beedillae Foundation: Anti-Drug Volunteer Association Address: 100/22 Damrong Lathipipat, Aad-Narong Road, Klong Toey Bangkok 10110 Tel: 671-6911 Account name: Boonserm Thongpu or Pratueng Mongkolchart or Ameena Beedillae (three names together) Account number: 082-211796-0 Bank account: Thai Commercial Banks, Customs Department branch		Bangkok Post Asian Games Web pages Classifieds Jobs Property Entertainment Investment Education Travel Sales Learn English Weekly Database Horizons NiteOwl Student Weekly Real Time Special We Care Street Art Back Issues Last Month Archive Company Servcies Subscriptions Advertising Annual Report
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