CAROLINE BAZZI

Beirut- Fatima Medlej opened a shop in the Kfarman area near the city of Nabatieh, southern Lebanon, to sell Kaak bread, also known as Lebanese Street Bread) but five years ago she began to sell bread on the University Street in the city of Nabatieh after the shop owner asked her to leave it. Now, most of her customers are university students. They buy Kaak bread and then go to university. Fatima Medlej both earns a living and raises her children by baking and selling Kaak bread. 

“Economic freedom is important”

Fatima Medlej has earned a living by baking and selling Kaak bread since she lost her husband. “Asking money from your spouse may be easy but asking money from your children is very hard. I had my economic freedom when my husband was alive; I never asked for money from him. I think having economic freedom is important for every woman.”

She is also affected by the rising prices

Speaking about the rising prices of products in Lebanon, Fatima Medlej said, “The rising prices of products in the country also affect the price of the bread. The rise in the prices of butter, flour, and other ingredients of Kaak bread causes the rise in the price of the bread. I buy a tin of cheese for about 1.5 million pounds. I used to sell bread for 2,000 or 2,500 pounds but now I sell them for 3,000 pounds due to the rising prices of the ingredients.”