Bob Monkhouse
Bob Monkhouse – 1941-2009
An unparalleled legacy.
Bob Monkhouse passed away on 8th November 2009, but he lives on in the hearts of thousands of young Indonesians whom he freed from the difficult consequences of drug and alcohol abuse and trained them to help themselves and others. He will also be remembered for his efforts to help young people living with HIV/AIDS lead lives with dignity, confidence and self-esteem.
Fondly called ‘Uncle Bob’ by those who knew him, Bob Monkhouse came to Indonesia from Australia in 1974 and made Bali his home. In the 1990s, he set up the Indonesian version of Alcoholics Anonymous and also helped in the setting up of the Bali Health Foundation (Yakeba) which believes that people who were dependant on drugs or alcohol, or affected by HIV/AIDS are best equipped to help others like them. In June 2008, Yakeba received the prestigious Red Ribbon Award from UNDP and UNAIDS for its outstanding contribution in responding to the AIDS epidemic at the community level.
Bob became the symbol of hope and for thousands of youth who benefitted from the rehabilitation movement he pioneered in Bali.He taught English and worked in the Indonesian oil patch. In the mid-1980s, he decided to settle in Indonesia and bought a small Inn in Tabanan. During this period Bob also became alcohol and drug dependant. Providentially, with help from friends, he managed to reclaim his life, albeit slowly and painfully, from his 10-year addiction to narcotics, psychotropic drugs and alcohol. This was the starting point of the movement that he was to head later.
Bob, who shunned monotony and always worked on innovative ways of addressing problems in the community, was determined to ensure that the young addicts were given as many chances as they needed to reclaim their life.
It all started in 1997 when Bob, as part of his recovery efforts, attended the Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings, which were in English. The absence of Indonesians at the meetings was conspicuous. He realised very quickly that language was the main deterrent for most. This made him organize the first Indonesian language AA gathering, which then became a regular feature and a draw for hundreds who needed it. From the attendees, Bob also realised that drugs, rather than alcohol, was the main problem in that locality. Thus, AA meetings slowly morphed into Narcotics Anonymous (NA) meetings.
Soon Bob started the Bali Health Foundation (Yayasan Kesehatan Bali, or Yakeba as it was later known) in Denpasar to rehabilitate those recovering from addiction. With growing demand for the facility, it moved to the more expansive Balien Valley, near Tabanan. Rosy, one of the early residents of the rehabilitation centre, remembers it as being liberal and open, with no doors. Anyone could come to the rehabilitation centre and Bob was ever ready to help.
At that time, HIV among injecting drug users (IDUs) in Indonesia had just begun to surface and Bob searched desperately for help and contacted the Indonesian HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care Project in Bali, through which he got in touch with Suzana Murni, founder of Spiritia. Meeting with a 'peer', who had been living with HIV since 1995, helped Bob come to terms with the news of eight Yakeba residents being infected.
An HIV peer support group was formed in Yakeba. This group, now known as Hidup (meaning life) continues to support people infected with HIV through a needle exchange programme. As the extent of the drug-driven HIV epidemic in Bali became more apparent, Bob expanded Yakeba's activities. Surveillance in the Kerobokan prison – the largest in Bali - pointed to a huge problem there. This started an outreach programme for addicts in the prison, which continued even after their release. This was followed by outreach to schools, and harm reduction programme. When Sanglah hospital in Bali launched the trial of a harm reduction methadone programme, Yakeba was quick to take the lead. Yakeba also started an outreach programme for men who have sex with men (MSM) in Kuta.
To rehabilitate the prisoners after their release, Yakeba set up a small business enterprise that produced chocolates, candles, incense and advertising banners. Acknowledging Yakeba's contribution to the fight against the war on drug abuse, the Indonesian government's National Narcotics Board supported Yakeba to establish a halfway house for former addicts.
Yakeba is much more than a drug recovery and rehabilitation center; it is also a referral center for drug problems and HIV counseling and treatment. Since the inception of Yakeba, over 150 young men and women have gone through the three-month rehabilitation programme with 67% recovery rate.
Today, Yakeba implements a range of programmes including awareness sessions in schools and among youth groups in the communities, apart from providing resources for rehabilitation of the addicts. Among Yakeba's projects are the HIV/AIDS Prevention and Care for Indonesia (HPCI); Voluntary Counseling & Testing (VCT); Yayasan Kemanusiaan Ibu Pertiwi (YKIP) Project on substance abuse and HIV; Stop TB; Human Rights Project; Men who have Sex with Men (MSM) Project; KUBE Project on skills training for former addicts; Rehabilitation Center; and Women's Court on Trafficking and HIV.
One of Yakeba's most innovative programmes is the Narcotics and HIV/AIDS Awareness in high schools. This project aims to increase the awareness of the dangers of alcohol and drug abuse as well as HIV/AIDS among students. The programme involves education, provision of referral options and counseling support. It is targeted at high school students living in high-risk areas, particularly those students in areas where alcohol and drug abuse are common among young people. In the rural areas, the Yakeba team (a doctor and former addicts) visits schools and meets with youth and adult groups in the villages. This programme reaches out to thousands of students every year.
The other works of Bob included his translation from English a number of NA and AA literature into Bahasa. Among the books he translated are the AA Big Book, As Bill Sees It and One Day At A Time, which are used regularly at NA meetings. He also contributed a weekly column in a local newspaper on drugs and alcohol problems; led a huge HIV/AIDS awareness effort through his peer education and village youth programmes; and trained drug and alcohol counselors. To date, Yakeba has reached out to over 8,000 school children and over 1,200 community members.
Rosy remembers Uncle Bob as a very kind person, willing to help anybody. Though not religious, he had strong spiritual conviction, with a deep trust in God. "Uncle was our father," says Rosy. "He gave us dignity."
