Elena evacuated to Poland together with her family: her mother and two children. In exile, she faced difficulties with employment and housing costs, while her daughter also required treatment for a spinal condition. To consolidate the results of that treatment, the girl now needs paid rehabilitation, but the family’s savings have already been spent on medical care and rent.
Andrei is now living in exile, while his wife and son remain in Belarus. They will only be able to leave the country after the boy undergoes surgery, but the treatment is expensive. The family cannot afford it.
Alexander Kravchuk from Kobryn is 57 years old. After arrest, a correctional facility, and deportation from Belarus, he and his daughter were left without means of subsistence. Alexander urgently needs a leg prosthesis replacement, as well as money to live on.
You probably remember actor Nikolai Stonka’s emotional video address “I Am Going Out” in November 2020, which he recorded after the killing of Raman Bandarenka. Years later, the Belarusian has found himself in a difficult situation due to depression and psychological problems. While therapy is ongoing, the man needs support.
Kirill and Karolina left Belarus for Lithuania after Kirill was sentenced to three years of “khimiya with assignment” in the “Hajun case.” Karolina has multiple sclerosis, and because of her health condition, she could not have survived four years without her husband. The couple is asking for support until they can work independently.
Like many Belarusians, Aliaksei Filimonau found himself in exile because of his civic stance. In 2020, he worked at the Minsk Tractor Works, took part in strikes and peaceful protests, and was detained for it. In 2021, fearing criminal prosecution, he left for Poland together with his family.
Anna is 46 years old. She has three children. For making donations, she was sentenced to two and a half years in prison. She went through a remand centre and Correctional Facility No. 4 in Homiel, and in December 2025 she was among the political prisoners who, after their release, were taken from Belarus to Poland
Vadim* spent four years in a high-security colony on a high-profile political case. After his release, he is trying to rebuild his life while still under supervision. Without support, however, his large family risks coming under scrutiny from “social services.” He also needs medical care after imprisonment.
My name is Elena Gnauk. I am 68 years old, a former political prisoner, a retiree, a widow, and the mother of three adult children. After my release, I ended up in forced emigration and am now trying to survive.