One thousand two hundred meals a day. Aleppo and the food emergency

The daily reality for Syrians is marked by the “hunt for cash”. Throughout Syria and Aleppo, the food emergency, despite the end of the war, continues to exist.

Ayham Khouly, head of projects for Pro Terra Sancta in Damascus, tells of a Syria on its knees from an economic and, therefore, also social point of view. “Banks, emptied of liquidity, impose major restrictions on withdrawals: the daily limit is set at just 30 dollars, a figure that does not allow most families to meet basic needs. An exasperated citizen put it this way: ‘It’s a daily struggle to access our own money.’”

Adding to the situation are the prices that fluctuate without an apparent criterion: “In Syria, the cost of goods does not seem to follow any economic rules: the actual price is detached from both the official exchange rate and the parallel black market exchange rate.” Experts speak of a real “Syrian anomaly”: “This discrepancy feeds the black market and makes life impossible for consumers. Sometimes they are even asked to pay directly in American dollars, which is impossible for most people: it is too high a currency, people have no more money.”

The liquidity crisis has a direct impact on the incomes of citizens, who find themselves engaged in a “cash hunt” on a daily basis: “In an economy that is still heavily dependent on cash, where electronic payments are still not widespread, the lack of banknotes translates into the impossibility of purchasing essential goods”. All this causes major delays in the payment of salaries: “Banks also suffer from a lack of liquidity, and therefore many families are unable to receive their salaries.”

Because of this, many people and families in Syria can no longer access basic necessities: the food emergency is a reality that continues to exist, despite the end of the war in the country. It is to combat hunger that Pro Terra Sancta has launched and continues to carry out the projects of the bakery and the soup kitchen in Aleppo.

“In the heart of Aleppo, a city that has suffered greatly because of the war, the soup kitchen run by Pro Terra Sancta shines like a candle of hope: it offers not only hot meals, but also a message of love and solidarity that unites all Syrians, regardless of their origin.” Jean-François Thiry, head of Pro Terra Sancta’s projects in Aleppo, recounts the most hidden benefits that food support brings to people in need; First of all, the hope and awareness of not being alone.

The Aleppo canteen distributes twelve hundred hot meals every day. To help as many people as possible, the spaces are entirely used to prepare and cook meals: beneficiaries can go to the canteen bringing containers with them to fill, and then take the food home to their families.

In addition to welcoming individual beneficiaries, the canteen supports local realities – orphanages, retirement homes, facilities that welcome people who need continuous assistance – through the delivery of meals for all guests. Weaving relationships with these realities is an opportunity to build bonds with communities of different origins, cultures and faiths, giving life to a common substratum of mutual support that today, in Syria, is a mirage: a glimmer that allows us to look to a future of peace and coexistence, which today still fails to assert itself.

During a recent visit to the Al-Mabarra Islamic shelter – which houses 40 residents, elderly and orphans, many of whom suffer from physical and mental disabilities – the Pro Terra Sancta team was able to experience first-hand the impact that these gestures of solidarity have, which goes far beyond contingent material aid. “During the visit to the refuge,” says Jean-François, “the team noticed the cleanliness and careful care of the rooms, but what struck everyone were the smiles on the faces of the residents: a sign that love is really the most powerful weapon against despair.”

“Popular cuisine is not just a project to feed those in need: it is a bridge between faiths and cultures, an affirmation that humanity is the deepest bond that unites us.”