Lifeline Ukraine

A national, professional suicide prevention and mental health support hotline 7333, operating 24/7. Originally created to help veterans and their families, the hotline now serves all people in Ukraine who are experiencing suicidal thoughts or emotional crisis.

In the picture - the logo of Lifeline Ukraine

5 years

Operating since 2019

100,000

+

Total number of consultations

6,500

Calls for help per month

4,000

Provided help per month (lack of funding)

In the picture - hands holding a heart as a support
Save Lives

Our main goal is to save lives that may be at risk of suicide. We believe that everyone deserves support and hope, especially in the most difficult moments. We aim to provide a lifeline to those in distress and help them overcome their challenges.

In the picture -  a loudspeaker with sound coming out of it
Raising Awareness

We are committed to raising awareness about mental health issues. Through training, workshops, and online campaigns, we aim to reach as many people as possible and provide them with knowledge and resources.

In the picture - the flag of Ukraine
Supporting Ukrainians

Due to the prolonged aggression of Russia against Ukraine, the number of people experiencing emotional crises and suicidal thoughts has increased significantly. We strive to ensure that every call for help is promptly addressed by our team of psychologists. Every conversation we have can mean the difference between life and death.

In the picture - Paul Niland, founder of Lifeline Ukraine

Paul Niland

Businessman and journalist, founder of Lifeline Ukraine.

Born in Dublin, Ireland. He has lived in Ukraine for 21 years. Paul participated in the Orange Revolution and the Revolution of Dignity. When Russia began its illegal attempts to seize part of Ukraine, he became a journalist to help explain the importance and truth of events to a global audience.

Anastasiia Hlazkova

General Manager

Psychologist and crisis consultant. She is the author of a developing gaming methods for adults and co-author of a children's book, 'Parents Return from War'. For the past 5 years, she has been working on projects consulting and supporting vulnerable groups. With faith in the possibilities of improving mental health and healing trauma, Anastasiia administers the helpline.

Pictured: Anastasiia Glazkova, General Manager of LifeLine Ukraine

History of Establishment

2019

The hotline was first established in 2019 with the specific purpose of providing emotional and psychological support to war veterans in Donbas, an ongoing conflict since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in 2014.
In partnership with the Eastern Europe Foundation, we received our first grant from the Conflict, Stability, and Security Fund, which is administered by the British Embassy in Ukraine. This grant allowed us to immediately start the process of hiring a team, which still forms the foundation of Lifeline Ukraine. Additionally, the grant provided funds to invite leading suicide prevention experts to Ukraine for training the team, with experts arriving from Israel, the United States, Belgium, and Norway. The grant covered the first year's operating expenses for Lifeline Ukraine.

2020

The following year's funding was provided by the Veterans Reintegration Program, managed by IREX and funded by the US Department of State. While we continued to work actively with this community, during this grant it became apparent that Lifeline Ukraine's support was now needed by people from all walks of life in Ukraine, regardless of their military connection. As one of the program leaders noted at the time, 'We gave you this grant to help veterans, and it is evident that you are doing that, but the fact that you are helping many more people is an added value for us as well.' During this funding period, Lifeline Ukraine solidified its reputation as an indispensable national resource, as awareness of our existence spread and call volumes grew monthly.

2021

Lifeline Ukraine was temporarily funded by a small grant from the European Union office in Ukraine.

2022

At the beginning of Russia's full-scale war in Ukraine, the American charity Americares, which specializes in disaster relief, made its first contribution to Lifeline Ukraine. After that, we developed our relationship, and Americares provided funding to fill a 3-month budget gap in paying our team's salaries. This grant also covered the payment of trainers to work with the team in specific areas of need, such as counseling victims of sexual violence.

To expand the hotline's capabilities and add another counselor due to the increasing demand for our support as a result of Russia's full-scale invasion, a grant was received through the UNDP program called "Psychological Assistance to Women and Girls Affected by War." This grant meant that we had an additional specialist ready to talk daily with those seeking emotional support. The fact that we were funded by such reputable institutions demonstrates that Lifeline Ukraine adheres to the highest standards of transparency.

As part of the "Dream and Act" program, implemented with the financial support of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and executed by IREX, Lifeline Ukraine was awarded funding through a program called UNITY. The acronym UNITY stands for Ukrainian National Identity Through Youth. As the name suggests, the focus of this funding is on young people, who are also particularly vulnerable to suicidal thoughts.

2024

In January and February 2024, Lifeline Ukraine's activities were funded by a grant from the American charity Razom for Ukraine. In June of 2024 we were awarded a grant from GlobalGiving to fund the core activities of Lifeline Ukraine for a full further 12 months.

2019 - 2024

Lifeline Ukraine has also attracted support from individuals, businesses, and embassies. This support started with a $40,000 donation from a family who lost a loved one to suicide, followed by the Winning group of companies, the owner and readers of the Kyiv Post, as well as the Australian and Irish embassies in Ukraine. Other companies have also made donations to Lifeline Ukraine through various fundraising initiatives.

To keep our line always available, we need your support

Every call to our hotline is a cry for help. Unfortunately, we cannot answer every call or every text message due to a lack of resources. Your support will allow us to answer more calls and save more lives.

In the picture - the button ‘Support LifeLine Ukraine’

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