Small business owners’ fear of the unknown

A 31-year-old female owner and director of a kindergarten west of Khan Younis city along with five staff members depend on this job as their only source of income. They have been experiencing bad economic conditions as their financial return became insufficient. The kindergarten’s director said,

“in the middle of March 2020 when a lockdown was imposed due to the spread of COVID-19, we accepted the decision with understanding and commitment despite of the great losses we would incur due to the lack of work. We tried to overcome this situation and we endured the crisis with the hope that in the new academic year we would pay off our accumulated debt. I was too optimistic, especially with the huge turnout of people seeking enrolment in the kindergarten. However, after the lockdown has been imposed again on 24 August 2020, I was disappointed and shocked, as the decision came after three weeks of the start of the new academic year, and we were not [financially] prepared to close the kindergarten, especially that we’re still unable to pay the overdue rent which reached 3,600 ILS. Besides that, the financial conditions of the staff are very bad. We have nothing to do but to wait until officials decide whether to extend the lockdown or live with the pandemic like other counties did. I’m very concerned that the lockdown will last for long and that we might incur heavy losses that could eventually lead us to close the kindergarten for good. I hope the pandemic recedes before we reach that stage.”

خطر الجوع يتهدد عمال المياومة

يقول المواطن (ع.ك) والبالغ من العمر ٢٦ عام، مضى على تخرجي من قسم الصحافة والاعلام في الجامعة أكثر من ٤ سنوات، متزوج وأب لطفل، وأسكن في مخيم الشاطئ في مدينة غزة وأعمل في مصنع لصناعة الحلوى. أحصل على دخل بالكاد يسد احتياجات أسرتي الصغيرة، فكنت أضطر في بعض الأحيان إلى اللجوء لوالدي للمساعدة في تزويدي ببعض الاحتياجات الأساسية لأسرتي مثل الزيت والسكر والدقيق من أجل تخفيف الضغوط المالية، وكانت عائلتي تقدم لي المساعدة دوماً. 

ومع إعلان الرئيس حالة الطوارئ مطلع مارس الماضي، توقفت المدارس ورياض الأطفال بشكل ما أدى الى توقف عملنا بشكل كامل، لأن اعتمادنا كان بنسبة ٨٠٪ على المدارس ورياض الأطفال مما اضطرني وبعد تجديد حالة الطوارئ إلى العمل على عربة لبيع المشروبات الساخنة. كان الإقبال على المشروبات ضعيفاً بسبب ارتفاع الحرارة وفصل الصيف. ومع إعلان وزارة التربية والتعليم بداية شهر اغسطس الماضي افتتاح المدارس ورياض الأطفال، عاد المصنع الذي كنت أعمل فيه للعمل.

ولكن جاء اليوم الذي كنا نخشاه ونرجو الله ألا يأتي، وهو اليوم الذي أعلنت فيه وزارة الصحة في غزة اكتشاف مصابين بفايروس كورونا خارج مراكز الحجر، والإعلان عن تفعيل خطة الطوارئ لمكافحة انتشار الفايروس، وإعلان وزارة الداخلية حظر التجوال في مناطق قطاع غزة كافة وإغلاق المدارس ورياض الأطفال وهو الاثنين الموافق 24/8/2020. فقدت مصدر دخلي الوحيد مرة أخرى، ولم أعد قادراً على توفير الاحتياجات الأساسية لأسرتي. ومنذ ذلك اليوم وأنا ملتزم ببيتي خاصة أنني أسكن في حي يعد من أكثر مناطق وأحياء قطاع غزة كثافة سكانية ولا أخرج إلا للضرورة القصوى لتلبية الاحتياجات الأساسية للمنزل والتي أجتهد في محاولتي تقليل تكاليفها، أتمنى أن تتخذ الجهات الحكومة خطوات لمساندة عمال المياومة لحمايتهم من الجوع.

Children’s lives are at risk

 A nine-year-old child suffers from Hemophilia since he was a year old. His parents have been following-up his case with a doctor in Gaza, and he has been taking medicines for his illness for so long. His father said sadly:

“since the outbreak of COVID-19 in the Gaza Strip and the full lockdown imposed on Monday 24 August 2020, my son has not taken his medicine. I took him to Abu Youssif Al Najjar Hospital in Rafah, Nasser and the Red Crescent Hospitals in Khan Younis but no one provided us with the medicine. My son’s life is threatened if he did not take his medicine.”

 

The risk increases under the spread of Coronavirus pandemic which mainly endanger people with chronic diseases and patients with weakened immune system, in addition to thousands of other cases who are in need of treatment but cannot have it due to the chronic lack of medicines in the Gaza Strip.

Food security of daily-wage labourers in Gaza

A.K. is a 26-year-old daily-wage worker who spoke to Al Mezan about his struggle to secure his family's basic needs under COVID-19 lockdown:

 

“I graduated from the faculty of Journalism and Media four years ago. I’m married and a father of one child. I live in Beach refugee camp in Gaza and I work in a candy factory. My income hardly covers my small family’s basic needs. Sometimes my parents provide us with some of our daily needs such as cooking oil, sugar and flour, which eases my financial burden a bit; my parents have always supported me. 

Back in March 2020, schools and kindergartens in Gaza were closed as a precautionary measure against the potential spread of COVID-19 in the community. Our work, %80 of which caters to schools and kindergartens, came to a halt and I lost my job. To make up the lost income, I started selling hot drinks from a street cart, however, its financial return was too little, possibly due to the hot summer weather driving down the demand. When schools and kindergartens opened for the new academic year at the beginning of August, I got my job back at the candy factory. Soon after, on 24 August 2020, the Ministry of Health announced discovering COVID-19 cases in the wider community which prompted a full lockdown this time. 

I lost my main source of income once more and I cannot cover my family’s basic needs. Considering that I reside in one of the most densely populated neighborhoods in Gaza, I’ve been staying at home since the start of the lockdown and only go out when it’s absolutely necessary. I hope the government bodies would take steps to support daily-wage laborers”. 

No social safety net for daily wage workers

 

J.S. is 35-year-old daily wage worker struggling to make ends meet under COVID-19 lockdown:

“I live in Deir Al Balah in Middle Gaza district. I’m married and a father of two children. I’m a taxi driver. Due to the lack of electricity, the water is only available for two/three hours once in every three days. Sometimes municipal water is supplied through the main lines during the power cut, which makes pumping it to the roof-top tanks almost impossible. So, when this happens, we fill in water into the large pots available in the house to use it later. During the past days, my tanks ran out of water for two days, and due to the poor finical situation, I could not buy filtered water as an alternative to the municipal water which is very salty and is not suitable for drinking. Furthermore, I work on a taxi owned by another person, and we live off that income. My daily wage ranges between 20 to 25 ILS, I do my best to meet my family needs with this money, and it’s barely sufficient for our basic needs. I’ve been living in very bad conditions since Monday, 24 August 2020, when the Ministry of Interior imposed a lockdown due to the outbreak of COVID-19, as I lost my daily income. I did not receive aid from any governmental or civil bodies. I have no idea how I’m going to secure my family’s basic needs in the coming days if the lockdown continues. I call on officials, governmental bodies and civil organizations to work hard to find solutions to ease the current crisis.”

Daily wage workers unable to meet their families’ basic needs

A 38-year-old taxi driver told Al Mezan:

“I live in Jabaliya in North Gaza district. I’m married and I live with seven family members. I’ve been working as a taxi driver since 2000. It’s my only source of income. Due to the recent imposed lockdown, the traffic police imposed a fine estimated at 6,000 ILS on any car that moves with no clear justification. Accordingly, I’m no longer able to secure food to my family, pay the supermarket’s debts, or secure a nebulizer to my young son Mohammed who suffers from Asthma. As you all know, taxi drivers depend on a daily wage and if they don’t work for one day, they cannot afford their food. Currently, we have no food in the house, I cannot meet my children’s needs, I don’t have money to recharge the prepaid electricity meter and thus cannot make use of the four hours of daily electricity and I will not be able to buy cooking gas once it’s consumed.”

Poverty and lockdown: double threat facing the elderly living with chronic diseases in Gaza.

M.N. is a 40-year-old man supporting two family members with chronic diseases. He spoke to Al Mezan about his family’s struggle with the lockdown:

“I live in Al Maghazi camp in Middle Gaza district. Following the Ministry of Health (MoH) statement about discovering coronavirus cases in Al Maghazi on Monday, 24 August 2020, the security services imposed a lockdown and closed all the camp’s entrances, markets, governmental and non-governmental institutions, including the UNRWA clinic. My father is 71 years old and has chronic hypertension, and my mother is 65 years old and suffers from hypertension and diabetes. They follow-up their treatment in Al Maghazi clinic, where they are both provided with prescription drugs on monthly basis. Unfortunately, the lockdown began on the day they were supposed to receive their monthly refill of medicines. I was worried about my parents; I had no money to buy their medicines from the pharmacy. I tried many times to call the emergency hotline number of the Ministry of Health but it was always busy. I call on all the governmental bodies, the UNRWA, and the international organizations to immediately intervene and provide treatment to the elderly and patients with chronic diseases without further delay.”

Renal failure patients’ lives in jeopardy

A.D. is a 32-year-old man who has been battling kidney disease for a decade told Al Mezan:

“I live with 11 family members. I don’t work because of my health condition as I’ve been suffering from kidney disease since 2010. On 5 May 2018, I had my first dialysis session at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza City. My health deteriorated and doctors had to increase the dialysis sessions to four times a week. Following the outbreak of COVID-19 and the ensuing lockdown, I heard that the Ministry of Health would secure transportation of patients with renal failure via ambulances from their homes to hospitals. I tried to contact the Ministry and other ambulance services but to no avail. I had a dialysis session on Wednesday 26 August 2020 and had to go on foot to the hospital to receive the treatment; I was barely able to walk. The next day, someone drove me to hospital. I don’t know if I’ll able to walk to the hospital for the next sessions.”

Lack of access to medication threatening the lives of patients under lockdown

A 25-year-old woman who underwent a kidney transplant spoke to Al Mezan about the struggle of accessing immunosuppressive drugs under lockdown:

 

“I’m divorced and I have a daughter, we live with my mother in her house in Al Alami area, near Kamal Odwan Hospital in Jabaliya, in North Gaza district. I’ve been in pain since 2015 and I have been on dialysis since 2018; I go four times a week. My health condition has worsened and my immunity has weakened. I had kidney transplant surgery on 21 July 2019 at Al Shifa Hospital in Gaza. Since then, I’ve been taking (Prograf, Mycophenolate, Tacrocel) medicines daily. Because these medicines are not available in public pharmacies, I have to go to Al Shifa hospital’s pharmacy to buy them. After the security services imposed a lockdown as a measure to limit the outbreak of COVID-19, I have difficulty in accessing the hospital to buy my medicines, especially that my immunity is weak and I would be in a real risk if I got infected with the virus.  I have no one to help me bring my medicines, my mother is disabled and my daughter is young. I walked to the hospital at 6:30 am on Thursday, 27 August 2020, and brought my medicines. I’m afraid that this situation will persist, especially that its challenging to maintain household hygiene as the electricity and water are almost n aon-existent. Personal and household hygiene is imperative for patients with chronic disease such as myself to maintain the highest possible level of immunity.”

عندما يتحول الموت إلى أمنية

(ن، م) يبلغ من العمر (46 عاماً)، يعمل حارس أمن، لديه من الأبناء 6، ويعيل والديه، يتحدث حول أوضاعه المعيشية وبالأخص بعد انتشار فايروس كورونا في غزة. يقول بصوت في حشرجة، بالكاد أستطيع توفير المتطلبات اليومية لأسرتي، من راتبي الذي أتقاضاه كل 40 يوم تقريباً، ولا يتجاوز 1000 شيكل. يواصل أنا إنسان بسيط، أسكن في محافظة شمال غزة، وأعمل حارساً على إحدى المقار الحكومية في مدينة غزة، إبني الكبير في الجامعة، وزوجتي مريضة، وتعاني من فقدان البصر في إحدى عينيها، والعين الأخرى لا ترى فيها بشكل جيد، وتحتاج يومياً لمراهم ومسيلات دم كنت أصرفها من عيادة وكالة الغوث، وفي بعض الأحيان من عيادة الحكومة، وفي أحيان أخرى كنت أشتريها على حسابي الخاص. تعيش معي والدتي وتبلغ من العمر (82 عاماً)، وتعاني من أمراض ضغط الدم، والسكر، والكلى، وتحتاج بشكل يومي لأدويتها، التي أشتري جزءاً منها في بعض الأحيان على حسابي.

الناس تنظر لي كموظف يتقاضى راتباً، ولكن في الحقيقة أنا بالكاد أستطيع العيش، لقد جعلت ابني الكبير يوقف فصله الدراسي لأني لا أملك المال لتسديد الرسوم الجامعية، أشتري الأدوية الأرخص لوالدتي وزوجتي، لا نتناول اللحوم إلا مرة شهرياً، لا يستقل أولادي سيارات الأجرة عندما يخرجون بل يسيرون على أقدامهم لكي نوفر ثمن المواصلات. ولاتستطيع زوجتي أن تخبز في المنزل لأنها بسبب ضعف بصرها، وفي الوقت نفسه لا أستطيع شراء الخبز من المخبز، فأقوم أنا بإعداد الخبز في المنزل، نشرب في المنزل من المياه التي تصل من البلدية، ولا أشتري المياه المفلترة. أسلك طريقاً طويلة عند العودة لمنزلي حتى لا يراني صاحب الدكان، الذي تراكمت ديوني عنده حتى وصلت (4000) شيقل. بعد إعلان تفشي جائحة كورونا في غزة، ومنعت على إثره الحركة في القطاع، ازدادت الأمور سوءاً، أنا أذهب يومياً إلى عملي وأرجع إلى منزلي سيراً على الأقدام، أسير مسافة 16 كيلو متر تقريباً من مكان عملي في مدينة غزة إلى مسكني في الشمال. واليوم في ظل الإغلاق أنا مجبر على شراء العلاجات الطبية كافة لزوجتي ولأمي على حسابي. لا أستطيع شراء المياه المفلترة والتي تلزم للحفاظ على الصحة والنظافة في ظل تفشي كورونا، لا نأكل هذه الأيام سوى الخبز وقليل من الزعتر بدون زيت. منذ يومين اتصلت بي أختي، التي تعاني من وضع معيشي صعب، تريد أن تستدين مني مبلغ 20 شيكل، لم تكن معي، وقلت لها والله لا أملكها، ولا يوجد في المنزل سوى 4 شواقل. أنهيت مكالمتها وجلست بعدها أبكي وحدي في غرفتي، اضطررت إلى بيع جهازي الخلوي لأستطيع تدبر أمور، وأخذت بدلاً عنه جهاز زوجتي، وهو الآن أيضاً معروض للبيع، ولا يوجد شيء آخر أبيعه بعدها. لا أعرف إلى متى سيستمر هذا الحال، ولكني أتمنى الموت كل يوم.