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Poverty Knocks on Lebanon's Door

Published June 18th, 2020 - 07:18 GMT

The downturn  has sparked unprecedented protests in all of Lebanon against a ruling elite widely deemed incompetent and corrupt, which includes wealthy politicians from Tripoli.

People seek better chances abroad and plan to join the migrant route to Europe. People don't have money. Often they have to borrow money to buy oil and bread. Many days, they are just eating leftovers.

Food prices have risen by more than 70 percent since autumn. Inflation has been a blow in a country where more than 45 percent of the population now live below the poverty line and about one third of the workforce is unemployed.

The Lebanese in Tripoli, long a poorer city with a history of sectarian violence, are among the hardest hit.

According to a 2015 study by the United Nations, 57 percent of the city's population already lived at or below the poverty line and 26 percent suffered extreme poverty.

Tripoli emerged as a vibrant protest hub in the nationwide demonstrations from October last year, earning the city the title the "bride of the revolution".

After the Lebanese currency plunged to record lows last week, angry protests erupted again, with standoffs between security forces and demonstrators leaving dozens wounded in Tripoli.

In recent months, scores of protesters have rallied outside the homes of politicians in Tripoli against what they describe as the government's neglect of the port city and its residents.

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A man sits in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 perc

A man sits in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

A boy looks out from a balconey along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line,

A boy looks out from a balconey along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

A child looks on while standing along the wall of a building along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now

A child looks on while standing along the wall of a building along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

Sheep heads hang outside a butcher's shop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and

Sheep heads hang outside a butcher's shop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

A woman stands next to laundry lines hanging out to dry on a balcony in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives b

A woman stands next to laundry lines hanging out to dry on a balcony in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

A girl peeks out of a window in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35

A girl peeks out of a window in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

A man browses a phone while sitting in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty li

A man browses a phone while sitting in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

This picture taken on June 3, 2020 shows a view of an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, an

This picture taken on June 3, 2020 shows a view of an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

A man sits in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 perc
A boy looks out from a balconey along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line,
A child looks on while standing along the wall of a building along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now
Sheep heads hang outside a butcher's shop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and
A woman stands next to laundry lines hanging out to dry on a balcony in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives b
A girl peeks out of a window in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35
A man browses a phone while sitting in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty li
This picture taken on June 3, 2020 shows a view of an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, an
A man sits in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 perc
A man sits in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
A boy looks out from a balconey along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line,
A boy looks out from a balconey along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
A child looks on while standing along the wall of a building along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now
A child looks on while standing along the wall of a building along an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
Sheep heads hang outside a butcher's shop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and
Sheep heads hang outside a butcher's shop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
A woman stands next to laundry lines hanging out to dry on a balcony in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives b
A woman stands next to laundry lines hanging out to dry on a balcony in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
A girl peeks out of a window in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35
A girl peeks out of a window in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
A man browses a phone while sitting in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty li
A man browses a phone while sitting in a workshop in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli on June 3, 2020. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP
This picture taken on June 3, 2020 shows a view of an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, an
This picture taken on June 3, 2020 shows a view of an alley in the Bab al-Tabbaneh neighbourhood of Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli. Thousands of residents of Lebanon's northern Tripoli struggle to put food on the table, as the country's worst economic crisis in decades has picked up in speed in recent weeks, with food prices rising by more than 70 percent since the autumn. Inflation has been a blow in the country where more than 45 percent of the country's population now lives below the poverty line, and more than 35 percent of the workforce is unemployed. JOSEPH EID / AFP

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