Until 2020, Kiryl Kazei's life was going well: a business, a stable income, and a family with two children, with whom he tried to spend as much time as possible. After taking part in the protests, he ended up behind bars and spent five and a half years there. On 19 March 2026, Kiryl was forcibly taken to Lithuania together with a group of prisoners. Now he has to start everything anew. The shelter (temporary housing run by the foundation) of the Charitable foundation "A Country to Live in" has become a place where he can calmly adapt to his new life and look for his way forward. Kiryl told us what helps him move on and why it is so important to give a person time.
— Until 2020, I was not particularly interested in politics, although of course I understood who ran the country, and I thought it would go on like that for a very long time. I had a good life: my own company and a stable income. I sold computer equipment and, on the whole, I was happy with how things were going.
But in 2020, political events affected me too. After taking part in various events in Belarus, I was arrested. I lost everything I had and spent five and a half years in prison.
On 19 March 2026, I was taken to Lithuania together with other Belarusians. That is how a new stage of life began. I have to start from scratch.
— After I arrived in Lithuania, I was helped with housing: my stay in an apartment was paid for four months. That was great support. During that time I got my documents, managed to travel to Poland and Latvia, and see my friends.
But I understood that I could not yet support myself: I had no job and no income. So I arranged in advance that after returning to Lithuania I would be able to move into the shelter of the foundation "A Country to Live in". I was given that opportunity, and that is how I came to be here.
— We have no special routine or mandatory traditions. Everything depends on the people themselves. I am quite sociable, so it is easy for me to find a common language with others. Not everyone is equally open: some people prefer to keep to themselves. But overall we get along well.
To live together, ordinary human rules are enough: clean up after yourself, keep things tidy, and don't disturb others. There is no rigid schedule regulating every step. For me, that is a big plus.
In similar places in other countries there is sometimes a mandatory cleaning duty roster. For me, such arrangements bring back unpleasant associations with the prison colony. In the shelter, people can organize their own lives and learn to make decisions again. This is especially important for those who spent a long time in prison. Here you feel that you are truly free.
It took time to get used to the new life, but gradually I settled in and truly came to love the shelter.
— Emotionally and morally, I have already recovered quite well. Now the main task is to become financially independent, find a job, and be able to pay for housing, food, and other needs on my own.
It is not easy. Before prison I worked in sales, but without knowing Lithuanian it is hard to find a job in that field. Besides, a lot has changed over five and a half years. So now I am looking for a direction in which I can develop and a way to build a stable income.
The shelter gives me time and confidence. When you know that you have a place to live and don't need to urgently find money for rent, you can calmly assess your options, try different things, and not grab the first job that comes along just because you have to survive somehow.
It is a chance to move forward gradually, not to make decisions in panic, and not to take steps that may turn out to be wrong for you.
— I am very grateful to everyone who helps rent and maintain the shelter. It is truly a big undertaking. For me, people who care that Belarusians have somewhere to live after a forced departure are people with a capital P.
I know what it means to have your own business, to support others, to make donations. But now I understand especially well how important it is not only to help a person but also to give them time. Not to rush, not to demand immediate results, but to let them try, make mistakes, take a few steps back, and keep moving forward.
People adapt at very different paces. Some quickly find a job, a new circle of friends, and their place in another country. Others need much more time.
That is why it is important to see the difference between a situation where a person could already move on but doesn't, and one where they are really trying and looking for opportunities but have not yet found their way. We cannot expect everyone to be able to work in any field right away, even when it does not match their experience and abilities at all.
I am sure that when I can earn enough, I will financially support similar initiatives myself. Because I know how important this is. Thank you to everyone who helps shelters and gives people the chance to recover and start life anew.
— My dreams are big. I once had my own business that brought me joy, and I really loved life. So I want, at the very least, to return to that feeling.
For me, happiness is not necessarily a lot of money. It is confidence that you can provide for yourself and your family, afford a vacation, and still have time for life itself, not just for work.
After five and a half years in prison, you value freedom especially. So I don't want to dive fully into work again and notice nothing around me, even if it is work I love. I want to live fully.
I understand that starting from scratch will not be easy. But my goal is to reach that feeling of happiness and stability within the next couple of years. And I am not going to stop until I achieve it. Giving up is not an option for me.
Thanks to your support, people get safe housing and a chance to start life anew.
Support our shelter 👉 https://www.stranafund.org/kampanii/shelter-campaign
Every donation helps support political prisoners and their families, giving them hope and the means to overcome challenges.
