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mainly for elders. The project is run by Violeta Šabrinskienė, who says: “The sen-
iors are using the hotline. They understand they can share their feelings. The calls
are mainly about emotions but there are several cases related to suicide.” She also
adds that many of the people who call feel lonely and neglected by their families.
Many who are terminally ill end up killing themselves.Life-saving algorithmGaila Matulytė is another dedicated local in Kupiškis. She is a member of the
city council and writes for the local newspaper. She is also the head of an NGO
group called the Consultancy and Initiative Centre. The NGO visits communities
and institutions such as schools and orphanages around Kupiškis where they talk
about suicide and mental health. They talk to families and children and listen to
their concerns. The symbol of the group is a small chair. The goal is for communi-
ties to work together to create this chair. Each community is visited four times and
each time they assemble a new part of the chair, with
the final session asking what can be done with the
chair and how can one talk with others.
“It gives hope to them. It drives me so much, the
possibility to make change. The programme talks
about the joy of life and why it is a great life to live,”
she says energetically.
Another innovative programme is the fabled al-
gorithm. Originated in Kupiškis, it is well known
all over Lithuania and is even being adopted elsewhere. The algorithm’s founder,
Valija Šap, has become a local hero in suicide prevention circles. The head of the
Suicide Prevention Bureau in Vilnius even called her “a saint”. In her office among
the many diplomas and psychology books is an award from Lithuania’s president,
who met Šap to applaud her work.
Šap has now become the “face” of the Kupiškis Algorithm. She co-ordinates
with the different institutions involved in implementing a programme with the al-
gorithm including psychologists, NGOs, the police force, the municipality, mental
health services and the community. Šap identifies this as the main key to its success.
“Everyone believed in the idea that we have to bring together all the forces and
efforts that we have. This was not decided by one group, everyone was involved
in creating this algorithm. It was a collaboration – common work and a common
result,” Šap explains while holding up the algorithm which, in physical form, fits
on a single piece of A4 paper.One innovative
programme is the
fabled Kupiškis
Algorithm. It is
now being adopted
elsewhere in Lithuania.Opinion & Analysis The curse and miracle of Kupiškis, Emil Staulund Larsen and Noah Groves