Even before COVID-19 hit, four out of five Syrians lived below the poverty line, one of the consequences of an almost decade-long war. Now, the pandemic has amplified the crisis. Marwan, a farmer in Eastern Ghouta, and his family have continued to struggle since the spread of COVID-19 interrupted last season’s harvest.
“Two months ago, we started to feel the impact of the coronavirus crisis,” he says. “Our income was dwindling, and food prices continued to skyrocket. What we earned from last season’s harvest couldn’t cover my family’s basic expenses. … Purchasing new seeds, after prices have increased dramatically, was out of the question, and so, for us, preparing for next season’s harvest was out of reach.”
This summer, Marwan was one of 2,200 people in Eastern Ghouta who received chickens, tomato and eggplant seedlings, as well as cucumber and zucchini seeds. For Marwan, the seedlings and seeds have filled a crucial need. “Without them, our only option would have been to sell some of our land to survive,” he says.
Nabal Guipera, Central African Republic
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October 16, 2020 at 03:15AM
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Five people pushed to extremes by hunger and how they are pushing back - Oxfam America
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