Bangladesh’s APON Addiction Rehabilitation Residence was started in 1994 when Brother Ronald Drohozal, C.S.C., began to raise awareness about and support for individuals struggling with drug addiction. Guided by the conviction, “An addict is sick, not bad, not mad,” the Holy Cross Brothers have greatly expanded their commitment, now offering comprehensive treatment and social reintegration opportunities for people recovering from drug addiction. Today, APON is the leading drug rehabilitation center in Bangladesh, and the only facility that provides treatment regardless of the person’s ability to pay. Since its inception, over 6,000 drug users and their families have received support from APON.
While APON collects fees from patients who can afford to contribute, its work relies primarily on donor support. The Holy Cross Mission Center is proud to have supported this vital ministry in recent years through annual funding from the Mary Jane DeLaney Endowment Fund (MJDEF) grant. The MJDEF grant exists to support vulnerable women and children in several jurisdictions of the Congregation of Holy Cross. The grant given to APON help cover essential operational costs of APON programs that directly serve drug-addicted women and children.
The treatment that APON provides to women and children is life-changing. Many children arrive malnourished, living on the streets in unsafe and unhygienic conditions. They are often exploited by drug traffickers, who sell them drugs and force them to act as carriers. Women and children alike often originate from broken families, where addiction has already caused deep familial distress. The services provided by APON offer them a chance to heal, regain dignity, and begin again.
As a result of the Fiscal Year 2025 MJDEF grant, 22 children and 39 women resided fulltime at APON facilities, receiving food, clothing, toiletries, treatment, and education throughout the duration of their treatment. Treatment durations typically last an average of six months. In addition to this, over 300 children and several women benefited from APON’s outpatient rehabilitation programs.
Despite these efforts, drug-addiction continues to rapidly spread in Bangladesh. Please consider supporting this work through your prayers and a financial gift, so that APON can continue to accompany those seeking recovery and hope.
Provided by Madeline Thompson, Project Coordinator, January 2026.
