New hope for young drug addicts

 - 2009 is a year that the Diótörés Foundation wants to forget. That was the year when we realized that we had no more money and that we couldn’t continue to help young, homeless drug addicts.

The only reason we are still here is because of the support from Norway. With their help we can continue to treat young adults that probably wouldn’t be alive if it weren’t for us, said project manager Gabriella Csépányi at the launch of the EEA project “Drug prevention and healthcare for the socially disadvantaged” in the middle of January. 

 

Continue and expand with Norwegian support
The dedicated project manager emphasized several times during the launch just how much the support from Norway means for Diótörés:

 - With no support, the Foundation’s 100 to 150 young drug addicts would no longer get treatment and would have to go back to the streets. But with 1 million Euros from Norway, we can not only continue our work, but also expand.  Today we are training personnel in treatment methods, expanding the rehabilitation centre "Lulla" and refurbishing one building in Budapest, said Csépányi.

Together to help drug addicts in Hungary and Norway
The launch was arranged in connection with the conference “Complex rehabilitation of young adults living with addiction” that focused on subjects connected to homelessness, drug abuse and diseases.

Hungarian experts, NGOs and professors related to the subject were present, in addition to the Norwegian Tyrili Foundation, who treat and help drug addicts in Norway.

 

Through the Norway Grants project Tyrili and Diótörés have become partners and they have, during the last months, exchanged knowledge and experience.

 

The Norwegian Ambassador also attended the conference and in her opening speech her Excellency emphasized the importance of Tyrili’s and Diótörés’ cooperation. 

– The Norway Grants encourage contact and mobility and I’m pleased to see that the two Foundations are sharing and learning from each other. I am proud that Norway, through the Grants, can support such a vital and life altering project, said ambassador, Siri Ellen Sletner.

The project’s launch and the conference was opened by a press conference where the National Medical Officer Service, the Diótörés Foundation and the Norwegian ambassador were present. Representatives from the media were included the MTI (Hungarian News Agency ), Echo TV and Halozat TV.

Towards Nut Tree
The next day, 140 km away from the conference centre, one of Diótörés’ rehabilitation centres in Lulla, Nut Tree, was visited by the Tyrili Foundation and the Norwegian Embassy.

During the day the delegation were shown the area, explained treatment methods and were able to meet both patients (“youngsters”) and staff.
Four hours were set aside to learn, share knowledge and exchange experience with the expert team at the Nut Tree Rehabilitation centre.

 

Preparations for a life without drugs
There are currently 18 patients between the ages 18 to 35 living at “Nut Tree”. Most of them have been here for a few months, up to a few years and  some will probably stay the five years they are allowed.

After Nut Tree the patients will be on their own and the goal is therefore to prepare them for a life without drugs or other substances.

-  Most of them have lived in state care institution for a long period of time. Their life has evolved around drugs, crimes and prostitution, to name a few. They don’t know how to interact with other people without drugs, and that’s what we are trying to change, explains  the leader of the Nut Tree, Tamas Szilagyi.

 
To stay at “Lulla” all patients have to contribute. They have to clean, feed the animals, cut wood and prepare the meals.

 – Our rule is: you don’t help, you don’t stay. It is as simple as that. Our aim is to aid young people who have several disadvantages, who through the lack of comprehensive state welfare network (health, social service, education etc.) face lifelong homelessness and marginalization. We want to help them escape the circle of deprivation and we can help them with this, says Szilagyi.

 
Connected to the centre are two psychologists, four nurses, one person responsible for work rehabilitation, two doctors and two doctors with specialization in addiction problems.