Hello. My name is Daria Aleksandrovna Afanasyeva, and I am afraid to count how many times I pronounced my surname when I handed in my report in the women's colony.
I lived in Minsk, and with great happiness and pleasure I would have stayed to live in my favorite city, but, alas, after two and a half years of imprisonment, I was forced to flee the country with one backpack.
Before my detention, I worked as an HR-specialist in an IT-company, engaged in adaptation and support of employees. Now I need adaptation and support myself, as hard as it is for me to admit it.
I raised two cats: I picked one up on the street and took the second one from Gursky. No matter how it sounds, I am glad that these are the only “children” I have, because if I were really a mother, I would have experienced imprisonment many times worse.
Along with my work, I ran a book blog for women, fought for women's rights. I wanted Belarus to adopt the Law on Combating Domestic Violence. I openly participated in rallies for women's rights, and followed it up by joining the marches in 2020. I did not miss a single Sunday or Saturday march, because I could not stay silent and stand aside.
I talked about the situation in our country and what was going on in my blog, which turned into a political blog for a while. I gave interviews and comments to foreign media and tried to draw as much attention to Belarus as possible. I told about detentions and political prisoners, the published content in my Instagram was used by other independent media.
Naturally, this attracted the attention of others. On December 27, 2021, law enforcers broke into my house. The court sentenced me to two and a half years of imprisonment and sent me to a colony for participating in rallies, openly expressing disagreement with the election results and condemning the actions of law enforcement agencies.
It is very hard to go into details about life in the colony, especially when you are there under a politically motivated article. This constant tension, the feeling as if you were a taut string, did not go away all this time.
I have a chronic disease — asthma. And with the living and working conditions that were created in the colony, my health deteriorated greatly. I am sure that I was saved by my youth, otherwise the situation would have been much worse. When the detachment was undergoing renovation and smelled of cheap paint even outside, the medics refused to save me from the trigger that provoked seizures. It was the same at the factory when I was forced to prove that I was really having a seizure and couldn't breathe.
I am now taking medication to maintain my breathing and I need to have regular check-ups.
I have tried to give as many interviews as possible, using the opportunity of my voice, being safe. You can read or view them here, there I talk more about those who have stayed and continue to sit. What are the conditions under which all this is happening. I told my story here, here, here.
I feel like I continue to be in the year 2021 and all the stolen years I never had, but life goes on. It was hard to admit that I needed the help of a psychologist and therapist, but I did. I was frightened by loud noises and still shrink from the knocking on the door, I can't get my head around the fact that the torture of our people continues and I'm out there. Prison continues to take up my time.
I realize that I am asking for help from people like me who have been forced to abandon their homeland, their homes, and many of their families. And even if you can't help me, I am grateful that you are reading this and being here means you care.
Your support will help me not to hurry, but to calmly come to my senses after the experience, to continue to undergo medical examination. I can't fully return to my professional activity because of my psychological state. This is my chance to regain my health and strength to move forward.
How much is needed?
€3100
€1800 — rent for 3 months,
€500 — food and running costs for 3 months,
€450 — medication and medical supervision for 3 months, as my illness requires long term medical supervision, especially as my asthma is worsening,
€50 — cat food for the first time,
€300 — Polish language courses to adapt in Poland.