Baraprata - the meeting place to support each other

Baraprata.se is a free telephone service to help people who feel isolated, stressed, or just want to get off their chest because of the coronavirus. With the help of volunteers who can listen and support, Baraprata supports people with different life situations. Behind Baraprata is the telecom company Unicorn Telecom.

Baraprata can currently accommodate 120 simultaneous calls and offers both private and group call rooms. As the service is provided over the phone, it is accessible to everyone. Helena Åsberg, CEO of Unicorn Telecom, talks about the service.

- In Sweden, there are around 18 million telephones, which means that anyone in need who has a phone can call in to talk. We can see from our volunteers how much this opportunity means to those who call in. There is also a wide range in age among those who have called in. The youngest person who needed to talk to us was 11 years old and the oldest was over 80.

Since the launch of the service, it has been clear that very few people are talking about the coronavirus itself, but rather about its consequences. A stressful home environment can lead to violence and fights within the family. And if young people feel a lot of stress at home, there is also a risk that they will bring that stress to school. Stress obviously affects young people's mental health, but it can also be a cause of bullying at school.

- In particular, we hear a lot about depression and medication in our conversations. Our volunteers provide information and encourage those who need it to call care lines, such as 1177, 112 and local health centers. This is the first time we are doing a service that affects us so much and so deeply," says Helena Åsberg.

When the spread of the coronavirus began to be felt in Sweden, Unicorn quickly mobilized to get the Baraprata site up and running. In just four weeks, coding, website, social media, ads, media buying and back office functions were organized. Alongside the technical work, the company was also looking for volunteers to take the incoming calls during this time. On April 3, Baraprata went live.

- We put all other activities aside because the situation felt so extraordinary. By having visitors share tips with each other on how to manage everyday life during the coronavirus pandemic, we hope to improve people's mental health," says Helena Åsberg.

In order for Baraprata to survive and provide more help to those in need, it is now seeking financial support. Baraprata's wish list includes web development and exposure. Among other things, to make it easier for those who prefer to click on a screen to access Baraprata to meet those who prefer to dial a phone number.

- It feels incredibly good to be able to make a difference for so many. Giving people who are lonely the opportunity to find new friends is very warming. It is what gives us the strength to continue, which we also hope we will be able to do. We are now looking for an organization that wants to run its own Baraprata and is interested in setting up the service as a white label product. We care and we are not going to stop," says Helena Åsberg.