Elena Meshcheryakova nearly died from COVID, survived repression by law enforcers, and was forced to leave the country. When Russia attacked Ukraine, she became a volunteer, but now she needs help herself.
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Furniture assembler Aliaksei Sanchuk joined the protest movement in 2020. Together with his friends, he organized unusual protest actions and was one of the drummers who set the rhythm of the protests.
After his release from prison, Alexei faced a new challenge: he has been unable to find work, while at home his mother is battling advanced cancer and requires constant care.
Anna is 50 years old. She was an associate professor, headed a university department, and worked on projects aimed at making Belarusian cities better. But in 2023, she was arrested when she returned home to visit her mother.
Katya Bartko applied for asylum in the United States because of political persecution in Belarus. As a result of a wrongful arrest, she ended up in an immigration detention centre, without the life-saving medication she needs, and came within a hair's breadth of death. Her partner Dmitry is asking for help to free her from detention with the assistance of lawyers and prevent her deportation to Belarus.
At the age of 18, Oleg took part in the protests in Pinsk and spent more than five years behind bars, including two years in prison isolation. In December 2025, he was forcibly deported from Belarus. Now, as he begins a new life in exile, he is asking for support to complete vocational training and become financially independent.
Vadzim Kaushou was imprisoned after someone reported him to the KGB, where his health seriously deteriorated. After his release, he faced the threat of renewed persecution. Now, at the age of 55, he is trying to rebuild his life in a new country.
Larisa, a former correspondent for Belsat, is now a former political prisoner and an ethnographic photographer. In 2025, she was deported from Belarus to Lithuania three months before her release. She is waiting for international protection in Poland; due to the Dublin procedure, her case has been delayed, and she needs support during this period.
A Belarusian woman and her son ended up in exile to avoid imprisonment. She now lives in Poland, but because her child was very young, she was unable to find a job. Now she is able to work, but urgently needs support to pay for housing and childcare.