(Eqtsad)- Ismael, the young man who lives in the opposition-held areas in Aleppo northern countryside has been racing with time to get married during this summer which is traditionally the best season to enter the “golden cage” as the well-known proverb says.
The main target of Ismael, 22, was to provide his future spouse with a comfortable and full-furnished apartment as he told Iqtissad reporter.
“The most important thing that any young man willing to get married should provide his wife with is a suitable house; however, it is the most difficult part of the process due to the housing crisis in the area,” Ismael says.
The unstable conditions in the northern parts of Aleppo countryside made many people believe that getting married in a separate house or apartment was an easy task but facts on the ground were totally the opposite.
The recent de-escalation in the area along with the cease of hostilities and the stop of bombardment on the cities and towns in the area made Ismael’s dream in having a separate marriage nest become even more difficult because of the incredibly rising prices that included furniture and all other house facilities.
“After you manage to get a small house or apartment you still have many things to buy like bedrooms, electric devices including a generator, solar power devices, carpets, kitchen utensils and the list goes on,” Ismael continues.
Unlike Ismael who is still striving to fulfil his dream, Muhammad managed happily to get married and settle in a small house after a long journey of suffering. Muhammad told Iqtissad that he managed to get through this difficult mission by renting a partially furnished house and create something by himself.
“The house had some furniture like carpets, pillows, kitchen utensils but didn’t have a bedroom, I couldn’t afford a one, so I brought some bricks, built them and put a wooden board over them. I fixed the bricks with the board by nails and cement then put the mattress. So, finally I had a very comfortable bedroom, “says Muhammad while having a shy smile on his face.
The housing crisis along with the sky-rocketing prices of furniture pushed many Syrian young men who are preparing to get married to buy second-hand furniture. The prices of newly made bedrooms range between 150000 and 400000 Syrian Lira, while second-hand ones start from 10000 and may reach to 200000 Syrian Liras.
On the same context prices of electric devices witnessed a high rise pushing house refrigerators between 125 and 250 USD depending on its size and brand, while washing machines range between 60 and 110 USD depending on the same categories.
The power shortage in the area added an additional suffering to the population in the area but on the other side drove people to create a new source for providing houses with electricity, so many people resorted to solar power boards which are very expensive in the area and may cost between 300 and 500 USD.
Other kitchen utensils like cookers became also relatively expensive, a 4 torch cooker may cost 100 USD while other utensils like bowls, dishes and spoons can reach to 50 USD.
With this unprecedented rise in life costs getting married in Syria, particularly in the northern parts of Aleppo countryside has become a dream which can’t be easily come true for most low- income families; however, Ismael is keen on making his life dream become tangible and to enter the “golden cage” with his partner that he has longed to live with under one roof as he says. (Reporting by Mohamed Kassah; Translation by Jamal Mamo)
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