With modest treatment methods such as gardening on offer, the institution, Al Jannah, emphasizes group therapy in which patients can share their experiences in discussions.

“We have to take care of these vegetables everyday so we can harvest them soon,” Rio, one of the 32 patients currently under treatment at the center, which is managed by the Jambi Social Affaris Agency, said, referring to a gardening activity the patients are involved in.

The rehabilitation center is located in Sungai Buluh subdistrict in Muarabulian district, Batanghari regency, one hour from Jambi City, the provincial capital.

“All of us here want to recover,” said Rio, a former user of sabu-sabu (crystal methamphetamine).

Like others before him, Rio voluntarily admitted himself after receiving information about it. Other patients are recovering addicts who were arrested by the police and subsequently sent to Al Jannah for rehabilitation.

Rio himself has stayed at the site for about a month.

The daily routine starts at about 5 a.m. in the morning as the sound of adzan (call to prayer) is heard from a mosque. All patients take part in subuh (dawn prayers) because all of them are Muslims.

Praying five times a day is a mandatory activity aimed at building discipline among residents. They take turns as the muadzin (person tasked with leading adzan) and imam of the daily prayers.

After having breakfast, at about 9 a.m. they begin to garden. They plant various kinds of vegetables on a field in the compound. Some of the harvest is for their consumption. The rest is sold to local people.

The place is different from other rehabilitation facilities in the province in that it does not use medicine to help addicts recover. It instead uses social therapy.

The patients routinely engage in discussions to share their experiences. Everyone is obliged to share their stories with others. They are also required to express what they think and feel. It runs for four months until the addicts are declared recovered.

“We are allowed to smoke but it is limited to only three cigarettes a day,” Heru, another patient, said.

Heru used to live on the streets in the Jambi City market area. He got high by sniffing Aica Aibon, a multipurpose adhesive with a strong odor. He was barely able to control himself when city officials took him to the rehabilitation center two weeks earlier.

“I try to think about my life after this institution. Other patients here help me,” Heru said.

The center has six counselors. Each is responsible for a minimum of three patients. They are tasked with assisting the patients, reminding them about the danger of drugs.

“We help to build their self-confidence and [encourage them] not to run away from their life [problems],” Jambi Social Affairs Agency social rehabilitation division head M. Dalmanto said.

He said the center was built to curb drug addiction in the province, especially in Jambi City and Muarojambi and Batanghari regencies. There are two other similar institutions in Jambi City, but they are privately managed.

Al Jannah has 60 alumni since it started operations two years ago.

The patients come from middle-low income groups because the services at the facility are free of charge.

“We offer them a better life,” Dalmanto said.

He called on other parties such as companies and plantations in the province to participate in the narcotics eradication movement.

“The more parties are involved, the more areas are covered,” he said.

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