Exacerbating living conditions for Jazira residents; declining purchasing power

Syrian families are suffering, following a series of economic decisions issued by the Syrian transitional government, from higher customs duties on imported goods, increased fuel prices, and the new currency crisis, in addition to delays in the payment of wheat dues and employees' salaries, at a time when the country is still suffering from the effects of a war that lasted 14 years.

These crises are casting a shadow over people's lives, particularly in the Jazira region, which is currently witnessing a process of integrating the institutions of the Autonomous Administration. Residents say that following the transfer of the management of border crossings, mills, and oil fields to the transitional government as part of the integration process, economic crises have intensified and affected various aspects of daily life.

Rising prices widen the gap between income and expenditure

Families are facing increasing difficulties in securing their basic needs amid rising prices of food and essential goods, as well as increased transportation and service costs after the government raised fuel prices significantly on the 13th of this month. The price of one liter of diesel reached 17,500 old Syrian pounds, while gasoline reached 19,500 pounds. Meanwhile, the incomes of workers and employees remained limited compared with the scale of expenditure, leading to a widening gap between income and expenses.

In this context, ANHA's agency met with a number of heads of households in the Salah al-Din neighborhood in the city of Jal Agha, Hasakah Governorate. Among them was citizen Ramadan Khalaf, an employee who receives a monthly salary of one million and five thousand Syrian pounds and is the father of four children. Also interviewed were Nisreen Hamdoun, an employee, and Amira Khalaf, who supports her sick sister after losing their parents and relies for her livelihood on financial contributions distributed by philanthropists and assistance from residents of the neighborhood.

Ramadan and Nisreen indicated that their salaries had previously been sufficient to cover a large portion of their families' monthly needs. However, as living conditions have deteriorated, their salaries now cover only essential needs.

Ramadan said: "Like many families, we have been forced to prioritize our needs and give up many non-essential necessities. We have even begun saving money by reducing our trips to the market to buy vegetables, purchasing only quantities sufficient for one day, whereas previously we used to buy enough for a week."

He noted that he had to borrow money this year to purchase school supplies for his children, forcing him to repay the debt from a salary that is no longer sufficient to cover expenses in relation to the scale of his obligations.

He expressed his uncertainty about how to secure heating diesel to protect his children from illness, particularly after the price of a 200-liter barrel of diesel reached 3.5 million old Syrian pounds, equivalent to approximately 250 US dollars. He explained that he needs around 700 liters annually during the winter season.

Fuel and customs duties add further burdens on residents

The rise in fuel prices and the increase in the costs of transporting goods and services have led to higher prices for food and construction materials, as elevated transportation costs directly affect the prices of goods arriving at markets.

The increase in customs duties on some goods, which exceeded $100, has also contributed to doubling their costs, placing families before new price levels that exceed their purchasing power, particularly families that rely on a fixed income.

Residents indicated that transportation expenses have placed an additional burden on them, leading them to postpone or cancel the purchase of many household necessities. They also expressed fears that electricity, water, and bread supplies could be completely cut off as the crises continue without government action to resolve them.

Nisreen Hamdoun said that she and her husband had previously worked together to provide for the family's needs, but her husband's income from working with his public transport vehicle stopped after the rise in diesel prices. This led to a decline in their standard of living, explaining that her fixed salary was no longer sufficient to cover all of the family's needs.

Families Reduce Their Meals to Secure Necessities

In response to rising expenses, some families have begun adopting various methods to cope with the repercussions of successive economic crises, including eating fewer meals or reducing their portions, sending children to school without spending money, and giving up items that were once considered basic daily necessities.

In this regard, the three citizens said they had resorted to these measures after securing water, electricity, and bread became their priority. They pointed out that bread is no longer available every day after the government took control of the mills, forcing them to buy tourist bread at high prices.

Household provisions decline as their costs rise

Household provisions have not been spared the consequences of rising prices. Some families, particularly those with limited incomes or those dependent on assistance from benefactors, have become unable to provide all the supplies they used to prepare and store as household provisions in the past, due to the rising prices of the materials required to prepare them.

Families interviewed by our agency said they rely on what is available inside their homes and try to make use of their gardens and whatever remains of last year's provisions for as long as possible, with the aim of reducing their visits to the markets amid rising prices and their incompatibility with income levels.

The Market is no longer a daily option for many families

As prices continue to rise, market activity has declined noticeably, to the point that on some days it has become almost nonexistent. Heads of households confirm that they now go to the market only to purchase essential goods that cannot be done without, while the purchase of other necessities is postponed.

Residents believe that current living conditions now require an income higher than what employees and workers receive, particularly in light of the continuous and sharp rise in the prices of food, services, and means of transportation.

Fixed income facing increasing expenses

Workers and employees are facing a growing challenge in covering their families' expenses, as monthly salaries and incomes are no longer able to keep pace with the rising cost of living.

In this context, residents say that before the transitional government took over the various aspects of life in Hasakah Governorate, some families relied on several sources of income, and their members helped one another manage their daily affairs. Today, however, families in many cases rely on a single, fixed income in the face of the daily rise in the cost of living.

As living costs continue to rise, families find themselves facing a difficult economic reality that is forcing them to change their lifestyles and reduce their spending to the lowest possible level, in an attempt to secure daily necessities and continue meeting the needs of their family members.

ANHA