(Zaman Al Wasl)- A few kilograms of rice, sugar, bulgur wheat, dates, and some canned food is all what Oum Kassem was able to buy before the start of the month of Ramadan.
As is the situation of many Syrians inside Syria, the 60-year-old displaced lady in one of the camps in Idlib’s countryside holds onto the tradition of buying food products and storing them for consumption during the month of Ramadan. But this year she was content with less as the prices are very high in addition to the absence of any way of preserving the meat or vegetables due to the power cuts.
Oum Kassem is one of the thousands of internally displaced persons inside Syria who are living a bitter reality with each Ramadan, and in light of the increase in the percentage or poverty, debt, and extreme lack in the food products, the issue which has made it difficult to provide the food during this holy month.
As in every Ramadan, the aid organizations try to help these families either by providing them with a food basket or preparing group iftar meals. One such side is the Syrian Association for Refugee Rights that has consistently worked every year to provide organizations and aid providers with the necessary statistics regarding the places of dire need in the camps and country side overcrowded with people- as Muayed Shakir, the association’s manager inside Syria, said.
Shakir indicated to Zaman al-Wasl that the Turkish organization IHH prepared a program this year to handout food baskets and dates. There is a program to present food products from the Syrian Relief Committee, an estimated 20000, in addition to a program from sponsors via charities to distribute some iftar and souhur meals.
He confirmed that the Syrian Association for Refugee Rights, in coordination with Elaph for Aid and Development, is providing bread for internally displaced families who are in the city of Maarrat Misrin throughout the month of Ramadan as well as dates and natural drinks.
Shakir noted that “what is provided from support and aid barely covers 10% of the actual need, as there around 1 million and a half displaced persons in Syria’s north.”
He clarified, “The camps inside Syria lack programs and studies about the real needs for those internally displaced persons especially for the month of Ramadan.”
“Around one quarter of those staying in the camps have no need to remain there but it has become a door to make a livelihood and especially in this special month,” he indicated. (Translation by Rana Abdul)
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