Vice-Speaker of the Coordination Council Lizaveta Prakopchyk Accumulates $12,000 in Debts

Part of Lizaveta Prakopchyk's debt arose from unpaid work by two NGOs (they owe the activist almost $6,000). The second part of the debt started growing due to a nervous breakdown, after which the girl was forced to suspend all projects, and additionally due to her involvement in volunteer initiatives.

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Liza Prakopchyk. Photo: personal archive

"With the threat of hospitalization due to a nervous breakdown last summer, I had to leave all my jobs, simply to take a month or two off from 12-15 hours of daily work (Liza said she often worked two or three jobs in NGOs and additionally engaged in politics — NN). That's how I started living on credit. By autumn, I was back at work, gradually paying off some debts, but still had to take on new ones. I had to take on new debts due to the specifics of working in Belarusian NGOs: you always work as a contractor, not an employee. In practice, this means you do the work now, and they'll pay you someday," — Liza shared.

Since winter, according to the activist, she has been living thanks to her friends.

After being forced to leave her job, Liza worked with a psychotherapist for two months. Additionally, she took antidepressants and treated her anxiety-depressive disorder. Now she works freelance in marketing and SMM, but these earnings mainly go towards mandatory payments.

"This month I earned about $1000; of that, I paid $650 for rent, and $220 to a friend to cover debts. About $150 remained in hand," the girl told "Nasha Niva" about her situation.

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Liza's financial situation now.

"I believe I lived within my means. Of course, I could have lived even more modestly. But I already gave up almost everything. My overall food budget decreased from 400 zlotys per week to 150 zlotys (from $110 to $40 — NN). I thought about changing my living situation — for example, renting a room instead of an apartment. But this leads to one-time expenses that I couldn't afford. Even when I go to some gatherings now, I always go with friends who know about my financial situation. So if something needs to be paid for, they pay — for which I have deep respect for them!"

Read also:"Some Liza, 20 years old, is suing Lukashenka" — a big interview with Lizaveta Prakopchyk

After the elections to the Coordination Council, Lizaveta plans to work as a barback (bartender's assistant) in one of Poznań's catering establishments.

"The work is physically demanding, but I already have experience, and overall, the main thing is that it's not a factory or a warehouse," reflects Prakopchyk.

"I'm not asking for donations or anything like that. But if among Nasha Niva's readers there's an IT specialist (male or female) who wouldn't mind restructuring the debt and making it so that I don't owe everything at once, I would be very grateful," says the girl.

The girl also has no plans to quit politics; it's something she genuinely enjoys.

"I will not quit politics under any circumstances until we all end up back in Belarus. To my haters, I recommend not relaxing!"

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