Low-income housewives find their needs in popular markets

Economic activities in Lebanon saw a remarkable recovery during the Fitr Eid which ‎mainly centered on popular markets, in view of the depressed general conditions in the ‎country. These above mentioned markets in fact have become the last resort for the ‎underprivileged, people of limited income, or even for well-to-do families. Um Abdo, a ‎mother of five, said that she prefers to shop in popular marketplaces, as it is the one ‎and only option for poor families like hers and who cannot afford to buy from over-‎priced cooperatives or regular stores. For her part,‎‏ ‏Um Saleh, a widow and breadwinner ‎of a family of three with her ailing mother, told Al Safir newspaper that she works at a ‎bakery in Dahr Al Ahmar, Beqaa, in return for a LBP 350 thousand per month. ‎Lamenting that she cannot buy new clothes for her children on the occasion of Eid, she ‎said that she heads to the popular market to get her weekly needs of vegetables and ‎fruits. On the other hand, a Syrian woman refugee, Um Mohammad Hamad, ‎admitted that she was forced to work as a cleaning worker after her husband died ‎in Lebanon in return for an income ranging between LBP 15-20 ‎thousand per day, adding that her overall working days do not exceed 20 ‎days per month. Furthermore, she revealed that she always heads to the popular ‎marketplace during the last hour so as to secure her needs of food stuff and used ‎clothing at cheapest prices. (As Safir, 20 July 2015)‎