Until the summer of 2020, Belarusian Karina* lived an ordinary life — worked in an office, made plans. But August 2020 turned everything upside down.
“I went to marches, distributed leaflets, and helped yard initiatives, believing that we have the right to fair elections and dignity. But one day, security forces came to me. From that day on, my life was divided into “before” and “after,” the woman recalls.
Karina was detained by GUBOP officers. For the first two weeks, she was transported every three days between detention centers, kept without sleep, in hunger and cold, and under constant psychological and physical pressure.
“I was humiliated, threatened, and tortured,” says the Belarusian. “I lost a lot of weight from the stress and conditions; my health was undermined. Then six months in Zhodino prison. The strict regime, stress, lack of medical care — all this left a mark, the consequences of which I still live with."
Then came the accusations of “insulting the president” and “representative of the authorities.” In June 2022, the court sentenced her to three years of restricted freedom in an open-type correctional facility.
«While the appeal was ongoing, I realized there would be no freedom after it. With one backpack, I fled across the border to Lithuania», the Belarusian girl shares.
In Vilnius, the woman found herself without documents, language, and money. She worked mostly hard and physically. This exacerbated chronic diseases, and back problems appeared.
«In Belarus, I had a stable job in an office; I lived an ordinary life», Karina complains. «Now I feel how every weight I lift brings me back to the Zhodino pre-trial detention center».
Today, the woman is left without a permanent income and really wants to change her life. Her dream is to master a profession in the beauty industry, take courses in permanent makeup, get a specialty, start working, and be independent.
For Karina, this is not just a profession, but a chance to regain control over her life, to be needed again, and to be confident in the future.
«I am asking you to help me pay for courses and housing during my studies. It is very difficult for me to ask, but I know how many kind and caring people helped each other in the darkest moments of our history. In 2020, we felt the incredible power of solidarity. I believe that it is alive and well now», Karina is convinced.
*This is an anonymous story. For security purposes, we have changed the hero's name. The image is generated using AI.
How much is needed?
€2900
€1700 – payment for courses on permanent eyebrow makeup (three techniques – powder, hair, combined);
€500 – purchase of equipment and materials for work;
€500 – rent per month;
€200 – food and transportation.