As the COVID-19 pandemic unfolds along with its harsh impact, some of the most obvious effects are the economic crises in many countries, especially those who were already suffering prior to the spread of coronavirus, such as Lebanon.
With the local currency collapsing, the spread of COVID-19, and the country’s middle class almost disappearing, people in Lebanon are facing a dire economic situation and there are currently no indications that the situation will get better. From furniture and luxury pens to shoes, clothing, and kids’ toys, Lebanese people have either been selling their belongings or bartering them for essentials to improve their finances and try to survive.
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This month, photographers from Agence France-Presse (AFP) visited Lebanese households and asked those residing in them to pose next to their open refrigerators. Most of the photographs showed almost bare shelves, reflecting how the majority is now starving, or on the verge of poverty.
Previously known as “Switzerland of the Middle East”, Lebanon will probably need years to recover from what is turning out to be its worst economic crisis in decades.
