Sunday, November 17, 2019. This date is engraved in the memory of Bind Skeja, the leader of “Lifeline”, the suicide prevention hotline in Kosovo.
On that date, the Lifeline received its first call. Now, six years later, dedicated volunteers respond to hundreds of calls every month.
“Initially, we only had one phone. Our battery died a few times at first, and then, gradually, we adjusted the equipment and set the schedule,” Skeja tells Radio Free Europe.
But, the management of this service does not come for free, even though it is mainly staffed by volunteers and interns with a minimum wage.
And that’s exactly what has become a problem: funding. Even the schedule that was set – from 10:00 to 02:00 in the morning – is now impossible.
Due to a lack of funds, starting December 29, “Lifeline” will only be accessible for four hours a day, from 18:00 PM to 22:00 PM.
In the six years of operation so far, this service, provided by the Center for Information and Social Improvement (QIPS), has been funded by grants and projects obtained from embassies and international institutions.
They have also received funding from the Municipality of Pristina, the Presidency, and the Ministry of Health. However, according to the founders, this money allocated by state institutions has been insignificant for the line’s budget.
“‘Lifeline’ now operates only thanks to international funds, not the state budget. This is absurd. A vital service like this cannot depend on support from embassies,” says Skeja.
To illustrate why he calls it absurd, he gives an example: it would be as if ambulances in Kosovo were funded by the Swedish Embassy. And if one day this embassy decides that it is no longer interested in continuing the funding, then the citizens of Kosovo would be left without ambulance service.
This is because Kosovo institutions do not have any type of service that targets people who have suicidal thoughts, except when it comes to, for example, preventing suicides inside prison cells.
“I’ll put it simply: if it weren’t for ‘Lifeline’, then Kosovo wouldn’t have any suicide prevention services. Because, if we’re not there, those people have no other address,” says Skeja.
Now, the “Lifeline” has launched a call for citizens to donate money to keep it alive until a more sustainable solution is found. The footage shows that the amount donated has already exceeded all the money they have ever received from state institutions.
Radio Free Europe has asked the Presidency and the Prime Minister’s Office if there is any plan for emergency distribution of funds for this service, in order to avoid shortening the hours, but has not received a response.
With around 200 calls per month and 600 to 800 communications via text messages – an option recently added to its services – the “Lifeline” is overloaded even with its current staff, without any layoffs.
“Now, those who previously called late at night will remain uncovered. Some people have openly told us that the reduction in hours will negatively affect them. Now, during working hours, there will be many more missed calls,” warns Skeja.
And this, according to him, may also have a direct impact on the number of suicides, since counselors at the “Lifeline” have always guided callers towards long-term help.
According to Kosovo Police data, during the first nine months of this year there was a lower number of suicide attempts.
For people who have thoughts of suicide, or face other mental health problems, the staff and students of the University of Pristina have also launched an initiative, which now functions as Web-site.
But, “Lifeline” is a call center that has offered this service by people who have been selected and trained to manage such calls.
And the management staff’s plans were big: they aimed to offer this service 24/7 and even have mobile teams that could visit callers in the field.
All these plans were launched after a petition signed by over 12 citizens of Kosovo, who requested the institutionalization of “Lifeline” as a state center for suicide prevention through the relevant law.
However, the failure to initially constitute the Kosovo Assembly and then the failure to form a new Government has shelved these plans and forced leaders to think about a survival plan rather than a growth plan.
“When the Government is formed, we plan to do everything possible to make this law a priority and complete it as soon as possible. So that at least 2027 does not find us in the same situation. This depends on the parties, not on us,” says Skeja.
He believes the law will have support from MPs, as he says it would be absurd for anyone to be against suicide prevention.Radio Free Europe/