STORY SUMMARY>>>
The founder of a non-profit organization that pays drug addicts $300 to become sterilized or agree to birth control implants visited Aala Park Tuesday hoping to net as many women as possible.
Barbara Harris was flanked by two of her four adopted children and several volunteers as she handed out Project Prevention flyers to the many homeless who gather at the park every day.
Harris says drug addicted women usually find out about her program through word-of-mouth or the media. She has an immediate response to those who say she’s encroaching on a woman’s right to conceive children.
“I simply tell them if you believe these women have a right to continue to have babies then they need to step-up and adopt a few.”
To date Project Prevention has gotten more than 2,000 women to agree to long-term birth control. Another 1,226 have been sterilized through tubal ligation.
Drug treatment advocates like Alan Johnson, president and CEO of Hina Mauka treatment centers, believes Harris is preying on women when they’re most vulnerable.
“It's better to give the message that says here is recovery and you can have a wonderful life and raise children of your own and be a great parent then it is to say there's no hope for you and take the sterilization.”
Harris says she’s heard such criticism before and remains undeterred. All four of her adopted children were born to a drug addict in Los Angeles who gave birth to eight kids.
“There's nothing positive that comes to a drug addict or an alcoholic conceiving a child,” she says. “It's a win-win situation for everybody; these women don't want to conceive children that are then taken away from them.”
Harris has already received a lot of interest about her program even though she’s been on the island a couple of days. On Tuesday a Maui woman with a long history of abusing crystal methamphetamine agreed to a birth control implant that will be placed in her arm.
The 28 year old, who wishes to remain anonymous, has given birth to three children – ages four, seven and three months. All of the children are being raised by relatives.
“I cannot take care of myself so I cannot take care of my kids,” the woman told Khon2. “Hopefully I take the first; I don't know good choice (by getting on birth control)”
Harris readily admits the money women receive from Project Prevention will likely be used to buy drugs, but says at least the addicts will be prevented from conceiving more children.
“It's not like my money is turning them into drug addicts,” she says.
Harris’ organization is listed as a 501 (C) 3 corporation and receives a majority of the money to fund its operation through donors.
Recently a man in London, England donated $20,000 so Harris could travel overseas in April.
“It’s the first time Project Prevention is going international,” she said.
Harris will be on Oahu until Thursday, March 11 but hopes addicts in Hawaii continue to respond to her message. Her group can be found on the internet at www.projectprevention.org
Have a news tip? Contact Andrew Pereira at 368-7273.
