By Zaher Negro | Project Manager
This is the 8th progress report submitted to GLOBAL GIVING Donors for The Social Grocery in Tripoli in regard to provision of a new SG non-profit grocery store branch that sells basic households’ food and non-food goods for a reduced price (October 2022 to January 2023). The SOCIAL GROCERY is a financially sustainable social enterprise model that aims at achieving public good by allowing poor families to purchase their basic items for affordable prices. This report covers the project activities undertaken during the period of October 2022 to January 2023. Due to the political, economic and financial crisis in Lebanon, there is an increase in the number of people living below the poverty line in Lebanon. The Ministry of Social Affairs estimates that 20 percent of the people who suffer from extreme poverty currently live below 4 dollars a day, compared to 8 percent in 2019. Some researchers are indicating that the rate of people living in poverty has increased to 40 percent and might even reach 50 or 70 percent. In addition to the ongoing challenges in the country, the covid-19 health crisis and the lockdown influenced significantly the economy of Lebanon and led to significant negative impact on vulnerable groups. Now almost half of Lebanon has fallen below that line. One of the most significant difficulties poor families are facing is the price rocketing of essential food and non-food items. With the currency losing more than half its value, food prices have soared. Some staples like rice have nearly tripled in price over the year. Long-term residents of Tripoli, including journalists who covered the civil war and subsequent conflict on their home turf, say they have never seen the city so depressed or tense. This increase in prices is sometimes justified due to the inflation in the national currency, but it is exaggerated in many cases. Poor families in Tripoli need cheaper options since commercial supermarkets are becoming extremely expensive.
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