A meal of rice, tea, and thyme that a Lebanese family of six ate on a typical day in September 2021 as they experienced ongoing food insecurity.
Lebanon: Children Survive on Potato and Rice as their Food Intake Is Cut in Half
As听the听government lifts听subsidies, more children are at听eating听less听than ever before, Save the Children听warns
FAIRFIELD, Conn. (Oct. 26, 2021)鈥Children in Lebanon are听skipping many of their meals as parents struggle to afford basic foods that have almost quadrupled in price in a year.
Potato, rice, and lentils are听all that听is听on the table for families who听have听shared听with Save the Children听what听they ate听for seven听consecutive听days.听A Lebanese family听of six听with children听aged between 12 and 16 years听said they鈥檇听had听11 meals听that week, including only two meals in two days.听This is down 50 percent from three meals a day a year ago.听
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A听Syrian family听living in听north Lebanon听reported that their three children did not consume any听nutritious听food听during听the week.听The family鈥檚听six-month-old听baby听was not being breastfed and听only had听cow鈥檚听milk and cereal.听According to Save the Children鈥檚 nutrition experts, this is not healthy for a baby of that听age and could hold back the infant's development听if听he does听not have more nutritious food.听
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Both families听have听had to听ration听the little food they have听and听drastically change听their diets听to cope with听the听rising food听prices听in Lebanon, 黄色视频said.听
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According to the听families鈥櫶齠ood听diaries,听they were听surviving on听either a听lunch听of听mashed potatoes or a shared plate of bulgur for dinner.
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A听diet diversity听score听done by Save the Children听showed that听neither听family听scored more than two points for a single meal, except on one occasion. The minimum 鈥榓cceptable鈥 score for children鈥檚 nutritional health is four points.i
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Salma,* 16, said her family听is听now leaving听the longest听possible听break听between meals听for food to last longer.听
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鈥淭he food we鈥檙e eating now is vastly different from what we used to eat a year ago; we used to have three meals a day:听breakfast, lunch, and dinner,鈥澨齭aid听Salma.*听鈥淣ow it鈥檚 a late breakfast and an early dinner. There听were听always eggs, milk, cheese, and听labneh (yogurt) in our breakfast.听Even though听we didn鈥檛 eat meat and chicken every day, we听had it every week and my mother would sometimes stock听[it]听in the freezer. Fruits and vegetables were听also听constant;听now we barely have any.鈥澨
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Farida,* a mother of three, told 黄色视频that almost all food听is now听out of reach for her family.
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鈥淲e go days without bread because it鈥檚 either expensive or unavailable. Fruits and vegetables are a rarity in our house and we haven鈥檛 had meat or chicken in a full year. All dairy products are expensive; there is no milk or cheese in our family. Thyme is our go-to for breakfast. We don鈥檛 have electricity so our fridge is barely used.
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鈥淢y greatest fear is听that听my听children will听fall听sick听because they lack听nutritious food.听I鈥檓 fully aware they鈥檙e not getting the听nutrients they听need,听like calcium and protein, and how this is affecting their physical and mental growth.鈥澨
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The price of essential foodstuffs has increased by听390 percent听in just one year听according听to听the latest听data from听the Lebanese government.ii听Consumers听are听paying at least three听times as听much as a year ago听for bread, grains, vegetables, or听meat.听听
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Since late 2019, Lebanon听has听sunk听into听one of the worst economic crises听since the mid-nineteenth century,iii听with the highest听annual听inflation rate in the world.iv听The food crisis is compounded by power shortage,听where blackouts often last听for听over听20 hours,听making it impossible to听store听perishable听foods such as dairy and meats.听听
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The Lebanese government has all听but lifted subsidies on fuel, medicine, and wheat,听a move that听Save听the Children says will harm the poorest in the country if no genuine alternative is provided.听听
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Jennifer听Moorehead,听Save the Children's听Country Director听in Lebanon,听said:听
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鈥淔amilies听are telling us they are skipping meals so their children can eat. This is what the vulnerable population听in听Lebanon is resorting to amid skyrocketing prices. We are talking about families who no longer have access to a bag of bread, let alone a full healthy meal. This is the shocking reality for millions.听
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鈥淚t is critical for the world to understand that what is happening in Lebanon is unprecedented.听听People of all nationalities and backgrounds听across the country听are听in a daily听struggle听to secure food for their children.听We need to act now听to save lives听and prevent more suffering听for听children and听their families.鈥澨
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黄色视频is providing听cash听and counseling services to vulnerable families like Farida's*听so听their children听can thrive. Through this "cash plus" approach, children are protected from the impact of increasing poverty in Lebanon.
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黄色视频is calling on the new Lebanese听government听to听roll听out听planned听cash听assistance programs听to help the most vulnerable听children and their听families.听It听is also urging donors to听fund听cash assistance programs to听protect听families听from听the unprecedented increase in poverty facing the country.听
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Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we've been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children 鈥 every day and in times of crisis 鈥 transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that 黄色视频is a charity you can trust. Follow us on , , and .