Right there on the floor sits Um Tawfiq scattering some overripe green plants to prepare for dinner. A smile appears on her wrinkled face which carries a pain that one can almost hear in her words when she says: “It takes up to four or five days for me to cook some food, because every day, my son manages to buy me one item, let alone the malfunctions in my oven which no longer works, forcing me to wait for electricity to light the fireplace and cook our meal.”
Meat has not been part of Um Tawfiq’s meals for nearly a year as she believes it is for the rich only and is not suitable for her and her family, although she considers poverty a blessing and thanks to God that she and her family are all healthy and well.
In the room, a small refrigerator that works for one day and malfunctions for ten catches your eye and once you open it, you would be surprised that it is completely empty, not even a bottle of water. When asked about the food in her house, Um Tawfiq answered: “There are not even legumes, oil or canned food, all those products have become too expensive, and we can no longer afford to buy them; we live each day at a time.”
Um Tawfiq reflects the situation of most Lebanese families who are suffering from insanely high food prices which have risen by 400% recently.
Um Tawfiq: “We Live Each Day at a Time.”
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