From Sceptic to Believer

September 2025

Recovery Story: Ewan

When newcomers first walk into WE CARE, there is often a palpable sense of scepticism. Can this place really help me? What’s the point of sitting in a circle and talking about my problems? Is there any value in sharing how I feel? 

Eventually, though, most come around. Some unfortunately never do, but those that do reap the benefits.  

Ewan was no different. 

I had the opportunity to meet Ewan, and listen to his remarkable journey beyond addiction. Before drugs became part of his life, Ewan was working long hours in high-end retail.  

The exhaustion from his demanding schedule pushed him toward substance use – at first in small doses, but gradually escalating to the point where he was injecting substances directly into his veins.  

His addiction eventually caught up with him, and after being arrested, he was given the chance to join WE CARE for the CBP (Community-Based Programme) portion of his sentence. 

As with most, Ewan was initially sceptical about the program. He expected WE CARE to be little more than a way of passing the time, offering him few real lessons. But what he discovered was very different.  

The sense of community was what changed things for him most profoundly – being surrounded by people with similar struggles, sharing his innermost thoughts without judgment, and learning to trust others enough to lean on them in times of need.  

One connection in particular stands out, and is one that he holds close to his heart: his friend Fandi, who used to be a Recovery Guide at WE CARE (Editor’s Note: Sadly, Fandi passed away in 2024 from a heart attack.)  

Fandi made the effort to check in on him every single day. Those messages, simple but consistent, helped shift Ewan’s perspective and gave him the strength to begin his recovery journey. 

The early months were the hardest. For Ewan, the first six months of recovery felt like an uphill battle. His scepticism lingered, and being known as someone with a history of drug abuse was emotionally difficult. His relationship with his mother, already fragile, grew even more strained.  

After half a year, he managed to secure employment in a hotel, but there too, challenges followed – it was not easy adapting to the demands of the job while wearing an electronic monitoring tag on his foot.  

There are strict rules around the monitoring tag. Flout them, and it won’t be long before you are recalled into DRC (Drug Rehabilitation Centre). 

During this period, Ewan relied on coping strategies that gave him healthy outlets. Colouring became one of his favourite ways to quiet his mind, while hiking and exercise helped him release tension and reset mentally.  

Most importantly, he had a SAFE Buddy – the late Fandi. Fandi was someone he could confide in whenever urges surfaced, an anchor keeping him from slipping back into destructive habits.  

It’s a big thing in recovery, and ultimately crucial, to have someone who has walked the same path before to confide in. That’s how SAFE Buddies, who also have incarceration experience, help – they point out the potential obstacles and can share what worked for them when they faced those obstacles. 

Project SAFE (Support for Recovery Addicts and their Families through Empowerment) is a programme WE CARE runs in partnership with Singapore Prison Service and DRC. 

The waves of life in recovery are rarely calm, and with more than 10 years of clean-time, Fandi was as strong an anchor as anyone could have.   

Ewan believes recovery is about setting simple goals and taking small, steady steps forward. That approach has carried him far. Within two years of starting work at the hotel, he was promoted to manager, motivated by observing how his colleagues carried themselves and applying the lessons he learned from them.  

A milestone achievement came in November last year, when he received the keys to his own home – completely free of debt. It's a rarity in a world where new homeowners take on huge debt to afford a home, but more importantly it was a symbol of the stable foundation he had worked so hard to build. 

Looking at how far he has come gives Ewan the motivation to keep moving forward. He’s built so much, and knows that he’s one relapse away from throwing it all away. 

He is proud of his ability to reject drugs even when confronted directly by old acquaintances who invited him to use again. In the past he feared relapse so strongly that he would avoid temptation by running away, but today, he faces those moments with confidence in his ability to say no.  

The recent loss of his mother was another painful chapter, but this time he had support – friends at WE CARE checked in regularly, ensuring he did not spiral into despair.  

It proved to him the importance of having a strong support structure in place. When something happens and rocks your world, you have a support system to keep you stable.  

Thanks to the community he found at WE CARE, Ewan has not only broken free from addiction, but also reshaped his life and outlook. His journey is proof that recovery is possible with patience, support, and the determination to keep striving for better. 

 

By Ewan and Katrina 

Katrina is doing her undergraduate studies in political science and philosophy at UCLA in the United States. She intends to pursue a career in law in the future.