DAMASCUS/BEIRUT – Amouna al-Berri was awarded a monthly salary by the state after her son died fighting for the Syrian government. This easily paid all of her household costs.

The “martyrs wage” today – which was given to relatives of the people who gave their lives for Damascus during the 11-year war – barely funds her diabetes medication.

Berri agrees with many Syrians that it’s harder to live today than in the past, even though there have been years between major battles and President Bashar al Assad has firmly taken control of large parts of the country.

“It was simpler in war. Berri, 50 years old, said that things weren’t so expensive now as they were in the war. Berri was speaking at her Damascus house near Aleppo, where she had lived for nearly a decade since fleeing from fighting in Aleppo.

The woman cannot heat her house, which is a shelter made of scrap materials in an unfinished structure with no walls and blankets.

Berri paid a heavy price for the conflict that spiralled from protests against Assad’s regime in 2011 with one son being killed and another wounded fighting.

Human cost to the war in Syria has been immense. There have been more than 350,000 deaths and half the displacement of people across the country, most of whom are from rebel enclaves bombed into submission.

The frontlines are still frozen, but the country is suffering from an increasing economic crisis. According to the United Nations, the need for humanitarian assistance is higher than ever since war started.

Berri received a monthly allowance worth $150 when her son was killed. It consisted of around 30,000 Syrian pound. Today it is $6 and reflects the downward spiral of the economy.

“Sometimes, I cry. Sometimes I get upset. Other times, I consider leaving the country. But if that happens, what will I do?

The once-productive Syrian economy was already severely damaged during wartime. Since 2019, the financial crisis in neighboring Lebanon caused the Syrian pound’s collapse.

Today, the Pound holds less than 2 percent of its 2011 value.

The United Nations estimates that 14.6million people will be in poverty by 2021. That’s an increase of 1.2million over 2020. The extreme poverty rate is almost 2/3 of Syria’s 18 million inhabitants.

Damascus attributes the country’s growing misery to sanctions. They were tightened in 2020 by Washington, further eroding Syria’s isolation. The West states claim they want to exert pressure on Assad in order to stop repression and reach a political agreement.

APPEALING TO HELP

Assad’s enemies, including Turkey-backed insurgents, control the northwest, home to some 2.8 million people forced from their homes who have also been enduring an exceptionally tough winter https://www.reuters.com/world/middle-east/snow-storms-cold-fire-threaten-displaced-syrians-northern-camps-2022-01-25. Washington has backed Kurdish led forces to hold large swathes of the Northeast and East, including all oil fields and farm land.

Pandemics and droughts have both added to these pressures.

Residents of Damascus claim that more people are leaving Syria after the war has already driven away 6.6 millions people.

Other people turn to social media in order to find help.

One Facebook post (NASDAQ:) showed a Damascus woman who lost her husband to the war and asked for two blankets in order to keep her kids warm. A woman asked if there was anyone who could lend a heater.

Kawthar Al-Sah, a 28-year old journalist said that she would love the situation to be better so she doesn’t have leave.

“My salary can cover transport costs for one or ten days. Saleh said that her salary cannot cover other costs like food. She lives with her parents.

DEBT, MORE CHILD LABOUR

According to Imran Riza (U.N. Resident Coordinator, Humanitarian Coordinator, Syria), “What we have is a cascade crisis.” “We are witnessing levels of poverty we haven’t seen before and levels of need we haven’t seen before,” said he.

People are turning to very bad coping methods – child labour, child marriage, high debt levels – and you can see this in a lot. Key household assets are being sold.”

Anna Cervi is the Norwegian Refugee Council’s country director. She said that people in the country are being asked to make difficult choices such as whether to pay for their sick parents medical bills or save enough money for food for their children.

Since December, the government attempted to improve the situation by raising public sector salaries and pensions. However, worsening conditions and subsidy cuts have led to protests https://www.reuters.com/markets/rates-bonds/syrias-main-druze-city-sees-more-unrest-calls-friday-protests-2022-02-10 in the southwestern city of Sweida this month.

According to the Norwegian Refugee Council, a Syrian family requires between 450,000 and 500,000 pounds per month to pay for their basic needs, including rent, food, medicine, and power.

Issam Habbal is the chief of Sa’ed NGO. He stated, “Every home needs assistance, including state workers and people of middle income.”

Fouad Chhine, an employee of the state, seldom buys clothing for his three children. In three days, he spends 120,000 pounds of his salary. His income is increased by the sale of nuts.

In 2013, things were more easy than they are now. You can now wake up, see the price rises and you will sleep better,” he stated.