Jamshedpur: Eight volunteers from Jeevan – the suicide prevention centre, Jamshedpur, brought laurels to the city by winning the third prize at the National Conference of the Befrienders Initiative, held recently in Calicut, Kerala.
The three-day conference, organised from October 31 to November 2, brought together 14 centres from across India to discuss a wide range of topics related to suicide prevention and mental health. The volunteers from Jeevan made a presentation on “Youth Mental Health and Suicide”, which was highly appreciated for its depth and sensitivity, earning them the third-place award.
The event was hosted by the BI Centre, Thanal, and attended by several international and national dignitaries. Among the special guests were Neil Hawkins, Chairperson of Befrienders Worldwide, and his wife Vanessa, who joined from the United Kingdom, along with a 27-member delegation from Sri Lanka Sumithrayo, led by its Chairperson Suranjani.
Adding to the honour for Jamshedpur, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia, Joint Director of Jeevan, was re-elected as Secretary of the Befrienders Initiative for the next three years. The newly elected executive committee includes Manjit from Lifeline, Kolkata as President, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatia from Jeevan, Jamshedpur as Secretary, and Sudhir Mankodi from Saath, Ahmedabad as Treasurer.
The conference concluded with a renewed commitment to strengthen awareness, collaboration, and community participation in the field of suicide prevention. Organisers expressed hope that such gatherings would continue to enhance sensitivity and collective action toward improving mental health in society.
For emotional support, Jeevan Suicide Prevention Centre can be reached at 9297777499 or 9297777500. Walk-in counselling is also available at 25 Q Road, Bistupur, Jamshedpur, every day from 10 am to 6 pm.
