NGO Fontana is a Danish organisation committed to prevent and treat harm caused by chemical dependencies – alcohol and drug abuse – in Denmark and Vietnam.
The NGO is concerned with the impact of chemical dependency on individuals, their relatives and society. In order to counter harm the organisation co-operates and form alliances with like-minded voluntary and non-governmental organisations. That is also the reason why Fontana is currently cooperating with a treatment centre in Ho Chi Minh City.
“Most people suffering from chemical dependency underestimate the harm done by alcohol, medicine and drugs. They also underestimate the addictiveness of these substances and the harm that they cause to others.”
“Alcohol and medicine are not ordinary commodities!” the NGO warns on their web-site.
The harm done by these substances can be avoided and avoiding the harm is one of the things Fontana tries to help people do. In Denmark the NGO runs the treatment centre “Taarup” on Moen (Møn) and in Vietnam they recently started to cooperate with the Binh Minh treatment centre.
Projects in Vietnam
The Binh Minh treatment centre of chemical dependency is located in Ho Chi Minh City and Fontana has cooperated with them since the spring of 2004.
In the late summer of 2005 NGO Fontana initiated a project with the aim of modernizing the Binh Minh centre by the introduction of the 12-step model and by improving the physical conditions to higher standards. By the end of 2005 a range of activities had already started.
The staff at Binh Minh is receiving training by Ragnar Larusson from NGO Fontana/Treatment Centre Taarup, and at the same time the Binh Minh centre is now being refurbished and renovated. New equipment for sports and education activities as well as equipment for Health Care is also being installed.
The project is partially funded by NGO Fontana’s own funds and partially by the Danish Mini-Project Fund. Also some of the equipment being installed has been sponsored by a variety of private donors.
Welcome to Fontana
The organization NGO Fontana was formed in Denmark in 1998 as a non-profit organisation. It is a member organisation consisting of a membership group representing a diversity of views and cultural attitudes.
One of the members of the NGO’s committee is Danish actor, Allan Olsen, who himself has had an almost life long fight with alcohol – a fight he eventually won, and today he among other things travels around Denmark in order to explain how he won his fight against alcoholism.
