This is only possible thanks to the work of Zosia Krasnowolska, a petite woman in colourful clothes, and her colleague Malgosia Rycharska, who together run the small organisation Hope & Humanity. They are the only ones who dare to help people in Belarus.
Zosia tells the story of a woman from Cameroon who was pushed back to Belarus by Polish border guards. Due to the violence, she gave birth prematurely in a hospital. Her baby was taken away from her immediately after birth by the Belarusian authorities.
Zosia helps where she can – with food, nappies, medical care – and tries to offer people protection through the European Court. But even binding rulings are ignored. ‘That only applies after customs,’ say Polish border guards. ‘But you can't get there if they don't let you in.’
She doesn't know how long she can keep doing this. Her savings are gone. Now she lives off her student loan. ‘Maybe I'll look for a part-time job in a gift shop,’ she said.
Photo: © Straż Graniczna - Ministerstwo Spraw Wewnętrznych i Administracji
