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Description:
Embrace is a non-profit organization (NGO) which works to raise awareness on mental health in Lebanon. It seeks to better inform the community about mental illness, break the stigma, provide support to those affected, and help foster a resilient and emotionally healthy community.
The Embrace Lifeline is an emergency telephone service run by highly trained operators who deescalate suicidal crises, provide suicide risk assessment, extend emotional support to callers, and refer persons to community resources and treatment programs as needed. It aims to ensure the respect and empowerment of individuals suffering from suicidal thoughts, along with their ability to access appropriate care. Its aim is also to increase awareness about suicide in Lebanon and break the silence around this societal taboo.

Mental health and suicide concern all of us, particularly in Lebanon with 1 out of 4 people suffering from a mental illnesses throughout their lifetime and on average, 1 person dying from suicide every 2.5 days in the country.

Since its official launch in February 2018, the Embrace Lifeline has helped over 1,700 individuals who were experiencing emotional crises, suicidal thoughts, and needed referrals and/or support for a loved one they knew was suffering. The Embrace Lifeline was able to refer more than 400 persons to needed community services (including other NGOs and mental health professionals, hospitals, and primary health Care centers). 93% of persons who called reported feeling significantly better after talking to the Embrace Lifeline operators. The Embrace Lifeline’s team was able to save tens of individuals in imminent risk of ending their lives.

Despite the dire need and the recorded, proven success, Embrace’s Lifeline currently operates from 12 PM until 2 AM. In order to reach everyone and at anytime, especially with emotional crises emerging in the early hours, our objective is to make the Embrace Lifeline a 24/7 reality.

To achieve this goal, Marwa will run the Beirut Marathon Women’s race on March 31, with a team of supporters and the Embrace Lifeline operators.

Together, through her efforts and the community support, we are seeking to raise USD 50000, which will cover Phase 1, constituting 50% of the total amount needed to operate the Embrace Lifeline for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

The estimated delivery of Phase 1 is by September 2019 and includes

expansion of the hotline premises to accommodate 100 helpline operators
recruitment of 50 additional helpline operations
conducting 10 training sessions for staff and first responders
Become part of a community running to prevent suicide, save lives and raise awareness on mental health in Lebanon. Help us finance the 24/7 opening of the national Embrace Lifeline by sharing this campaign, making a donation or running the marathon with Embrace and Marwa.