'Was Bringing White-Red-White Pastille For Me Well'

Short stories about Belarusian solidarity that give hope.

It seems that nothing good is happening after daily news about detentions, sentences, dangerous mailings and war. But it’s not true. Mediazona asked Belarusians from different parts of the country what good events had happened in their lives recently — there is solidarity too.

Darya – Mahiliou Region, Belarus

I am going to go to Poland to visit my friend who has been forced to emigrate a couple of years ago. I buy Belarusian sweets. I bought everything in the Krasny Pischevik brand store since she asked for new ones. In general, I've got a fairly large package. Girls at the checkout asked: 'Why do you need so much?' I told that I bring sweets from my homeland to my friend in exile. The salespersons began to ask about it. Georgia or Poland? And as a result, they gifted a package of some new gummies — just like that, because of solidarity, on their own.

Sviatlana – Minsk, Belarus

I went to the store in the mall in the winter and tried on a hat. Few things usually suit me, I almost do not wear hats, but here it is just right for me. I really wanted to buy it. And I only have a card, I almost don't use cash. I looked into my wallet — there was not enough cash. At that moment, my sister called me. Well, I told her — that I found a cool hat, but I could not buy it since I did not have enough cash. I was already going to leave the store, as some customer pulled me up and gave me a ruble: "Here, take it, it's a trifle, make yourself happy." Of course, I thanked her, and she answered me: Belarusians have helped each other much more since 2020. I'm a little relieved, sure.

Alena – Minsk, Belarus

I had to leave the country. Without details, it did not seem to be hot, but they could come at any time. We had to urgently sell and distribute everything that was ours in the rented apartment. There was furniture, a high refrigerator, and a washing machine — all sorts of small things were enough.

A friend of mine works in a home appliance store, they have a car and movers there. I agreed with him that he would help me, and I would pay him and the movers. And so they delivered my furniture to my friends, equipment to my parents, and drove around the city quite a lot. They dragged a heavy refrigerator to the fifth floor, and some tables too. At the end of the trip, I ask what I owe them. He answers — I'll tell you later, we need to calculate. Well, I think: OK, they have prices there, depending on the floor to which things were lifted and so on. I called him in a day, and he said — the guys and I consulted and decided that, given the circumstances, you do not owe us anything, it was all free. To be honest, I broke into tears.

Siarhei – Mahiliou Region, Belarus

We had an unexpected wave of solidarity. There was a place for homeless animals in one of the shopping malls. There are large shelters in the city, of course. And here is a small branch, where kittens with puppies were waiting for new owners, and also their cute faces collected help for everyone else. And I myself know that many were taken from there to new homes.

But something happened, and the orphanage wrote on Instagram that the administration had decided to terminate their lease. And it all started off...! Not just likes and comments. People went to the administration feet and began to call there, began to ask about that shelter. The administration understood everything, they did not want to terminate the contract anymore, they asked not to call again.

Aliaksandr – Hrodna Region, Belarus

I was closed again for a day in the winter. Before the elections, of course, they came to every activist. But this time they were arresting in a decent way, only two people, and I was sitting in the car. It was clear — our cops, not from somewhere.

It happens that they order arrested people to work now. Garbage sorting and the like. So before, relatives could come to the workplace, bring some food, work clothes at least. This has been banned. But those workers who were there shared their lunches with us, and sometimes they brought something from home for us, although they earned just a penny there. Like that.

Maksim – Mahiliou, Belarus

Prior to my detention in 2022, I helped a boy with a serious illness raise money for medication and rehabilitation. There are very few children with such a diagnosis in Belarus, and after 2020, it so happened that attention to such children faded away. Not that everyone forgot about them, but, probably, they began to receive less help, because political prisoners and victims appeared in the country.

I was very involved in his story, although it was hard, because it really is not easy for this kid, he is seriously ill. When I left, it turned out that the necessary amount was collected, the child with his parents received rehabilitation in another country and now his condition has even stabilized. He even drew me a picture in gratitude for participating in fundraising for him. So far, for obvious reasons, we cannot meet.

Iryna – Brest Region, Belarus

I left the prison in 2023. Recently, the husband of a political woman who is still in prison called. He met with her. His wife asked him to find me — they are worried about me in the colony, how I am doing free... I told him about the checkup and the police. It would be useful for them to know this for the future.

This woman had several reports recently – a punishment cell. She is sick, but she is worried about me, how I am doing free.

Katsiaryna – Minsk, Belarus

I had an interview at an online hypermarket, the girl manager spoke Belarusian. Without choosing words, very clean, fluent. It was nice to hear the Belarusian language in Belarus. It seems that now it sounds more often abroad, and in Belarus it is almost like a protest to do it.

Zmitser – Mahiliou Region, Belarus

The owners of one of the local coffee bars organized an exhibition of local artists. The third exposition has recently opened. I was at the opening — super! There were a lot of people, live music, conversations, people were dancing. This was without a gram of alcohol on the tables. Some say that everything has stalled in Belarus. It was a big event for our town, by the way. You could come for free, see the paintings and drink coffee. The owner of the cafe understood local painting, could tell you all about the paintings.

There was one picture to make a wish. I asked how to do it, you can't rub it. And she answered — you should talk to it.

Valery – Brest Region, Belarus

Everything is ordinary and natural — courageous, kind people doing what they are to do. When I was in custody, a friend of mine took care of my wife throughout the entire period, called her once a week, and in the pre-trial detention center he regularly brought white-red-white pastille for me. The last time was already white-cherry-white, as the manufacturer changed the recipe.

Two more people, with whom I only occasionally communicated, brought two large bags for me when I was deprived of liberty: sweaters, shirts, boots, work clothes, several pairs of mittens. People from different social classes literally constantly helped: money, fruits and vegetables, and so on.