HÎMA RAD

Sanandaj - Many countries have been suffering from an economic crisis especially after the Covid-19 pandemic outbreak but the economic crisis has been deepening in the Middle Eastern countries due to ongoing clashes and conflicts. Iran is one of these countries. The citizens living in Iran look for alternative ways to earn a living due to the economic crisis. Undoubtedly, the poor people are the most affected by the economic crisis in Iran. Most of them struggle to survive by selling napkins, flower bouquets and water bottles in the streets.

“I cannot pay my rent”

While the spirit of solidarity among people is damaged due to the economic issues in Iran, the government does not produce alternative solutions to the ongoing economic crisis. An Iranian woman, who didn’t want to be named, told NuJINHA that she sells napkins in the streets with her two children. “I have three children. I haven’t been able to pay my rent for three months. One of my children is sick. We have to work to earn a living.”

“Who will take care of my family if I go to school?”

A girl selling flower bouquets in the streets said, “We don’t earn enough from selling napkins because everything is very expensive. The price of a kilo of rice is a million toman while a box of paper napkins is 50 toman. We cannot make both ends meet with this amount of money. I cannot go to school due to financial problems faced by my family. I really want to go to school but who will take care of my family if I go to school?”

“I have lived in my brother’s house for 15 years”

Another woman, who didn’t want to be named, told us that she sells paper napkins in the streets because she does not have any income. “I do not have money to buy a house or rent a flat. I have lived in my brother’s house with my children for 15 years.”

One of the children selling paper napkins in the streets told us that she both goes to school and contributes to her family economy.