Poverty prevents Syrians of making “Moneh", their best tradition

Translation by Yusra Ahmed)

(Eqtsad) Rural Homs-  “Moneh”, the stored food Syrian families used to make, has been for centuries very essential on meals especially in Winter, and they are stored in special room in houses away from heat and sun

Almost 90% of the Syrian families, especially rural families were able to afford for their “Moneh”, but now, with the circumstances of war, less than 20% of them able to do so, especially in war and rural areas under siege in Homs’s countryside. The cost of “Moneh” used to be less than 20 thousand Syrian pounds, but now it exceeds 200 thousand pounds for a family of 10 persons. 

Old people like processing and preparing “Moneh”, even they consider it beneficial for health especially in difficult circumstance of war, even consider it could prolong life, as Om Ali from Talbeseh town in Homs’s countryside expressed, and added that families started to devide the stages of processing their “Moneh” in order to accommodate with their budget, which is already over-stretch. 

Abo Ahmed, from the northern countryside of Homs, who prepare the “Moneh” himself, explained that it is very important and its process starts in mid Summer, he considers it as important as the house’s roof especially in war and siege conditions when providing food is not always possible. 

Hajah Om Abdul Karim from Rastan, had always to prepare her “Moneh” fr more 40 years, said to Zaman al-Wasl: “we begin to work to finish “Moneh” for me and family and grandchildren, which consists of dairy products like Keshkeh, Surkeh and cheese, while at harvest we store grain and bulgur and tomato paste”.

Om Abdul-Karim confirmed that “Moneh” has its special unique delicious taste, but she expressed her pain for lack of money which spoils the joy of making “Moneh” as many families under lack of jobs and high level of unemployment among youth, forced many families to rely on food provided from aids agencies and charities. 

Om Abdul-Karim detailed that food of “Moneh” Is divide into 4 groups, vegetable, fruit, dairy, and grain, making cheese, Labneh, mallow, okra, eggplant, vine leaves, bulgur, pickles and jam of figs, apples and pumpkins and other fruits.

Om Hasan from “Alburj” in northern countryside of Homs told Zaman Al Wasl: “before the Syrian revolution, I used to fill the kitchen shelves of various types of foods with cost of less than 15 thousand Syrian pounds, but now it cost more than 150 thousand pounds”. She confirmed that more than 50% of the women of her besieged village were not able to make any type of “Moneh” because of poverty, pointing out that “Moneh” is these days limited to essential foods, as “Makdos” , stuffed eggplant, cheese and Labneh have been omitted from “Moneh” as the cost of one piece of “makdos” exceeds 70 Syrian pounds while the cost of a piece of "Surkeh” costs 100 Syrian pounds

Om mohammed expressed her evaluation of the value and importance of "Moneh" using the popular aphorism “hide your white pence to your black day”, especially these days of war and poverty.