A client from Kutkai drop-in centre would like to tell how MANA has completely changed his life.

"I am a native of Kutkai, a beautiful mountain town in Northern Shan State. Although my native town was beautiful, my life was ugly, having been discarded by my own family, friends and all the people in the town for I am a heroin addict.

"Heroin ruined my life. I clung onto it and thought only of it day and night as I could not resist the strong temptation which seemed to stem so deeply from my heart and soul to use it—to inject it into my veins. I was enslaved by heroin and to fulfil its ever-increasing command, I struggled to earn money to get it and I did all I could. As heroin occupied my thoughts day and night, I could not pay any attention and lost any sense of responsibility to my family and my close relatives and so they hated me and neglected me.

"As a result, I led a poverty-stricken life—loitering day and night on the road with no one to feed or take care of me. Many times, I had to sleep in the streets and spent countless nights in the bushes on the outskirts of town as I was chased by the police when they found me injecting heroin. I started to wonder whether anyone knew the existence of my world—a dark world where no one cared about my feeling of hopelessness and helpless life. I had nearly given up on my life when I came to know about MANA through my friends.

"MANA is my saviour. MANA has been implementing harm reduction and HIV prevention among drug users. Now MANA has opened its office in Kutkai. My drug user peers led me to MANA. The staff are now dearer to me than my own relatives for they understood my life. They extended their welcoming hands to us and guided us to a brighter future. From their health talks, I came to know the bad consequences of drug use and the risk of getting infected with HIV, hepatitis and other diseases such as sexually transmitted infections (STI). We came to realize the risk of committing crimes under the influence of drugs or for drugs. We also came to know about condoms and how we could prevent STIs in ourselves and our partners. We were also introduced to methadone—a replacement for heroin—and learnt about its benefits. Under their guidance and supervision, I was able to regain control of myself with Methadone Maintenance Therapy (MMT).

"Staff and counsellors from MANA were our great benefactors whom we could never forget. Although our families abandoned us, counsellors patiently helped us regain their acceptance. They gradually led our families to understand about our lives. We were motivated to get our blood tested because of their patient counselling, always listening attentively to our concerns.

"I trusted them and believed I could confide in them. So, I also got tested for HIV. Afterwards, I decided how I wanted to pass the remainder of my life—I wanted to prove myself to be a responsible and useful member of the community. Without being asked, I have already volunteered and started to disseminate knowledge we gained on harm reduction and HIV prevention among my peers and spread the news of MANA's presence in Kutkai and the services being provided, and that MANA's door was always open to all of us in need.

"I wish all drug users could get the needed support and escape from the dark shadow of drug use. Indeed, MANA showed us our escape route from the dark cage of drug prison. MANA has opened its window into a brighter future. We are forever grateful to staff from MANA and to the Global Fund for much needed support for those in need."

MANA (Myanmar Anti-Narcotics Association) has been implementing harm reduction and HIV prevention activities among drug users with the support of the Global Fund since 2011 in Muse and Kutkai in Northern Shan State, where the prevalence of drug use is high.