Soup made from water and gathered bread

INGREDIENTS

• Bread crumbs from the ground
• Water
• Seasonings
• Instant noodles (e.g., Andomi)
• Maggi seasoning

PREPARATION

1. Combine all ingredients in a large pot.
2. Cook over the fire until the noodles are cooked and the soup has absorbed the flavors.

Conversation:

– What are you kids doing?

– We are collecting bread. People are wasting food. They’ve thrown away so much bread here. Look at how much we’ve already gathered and how much is still on the ground. People instead of sharing, just throw it away.

– Where is this bread from?

– It’s from the aid that came to the people.

– And you didn’t get anything?

– No. Do you think if we had received something, we’d be scavenging for crumbs in the dirt?

– Where are you from?

– We are from Al Hajar, a suburb of Damascus.

– There is a ceasefire everywhere, except there.

– And what are you doing, boy?

– This is my brother and he’s collecting bread with me. What we collect, we add to the soup we’re making.

– What is your life like?

– We live on water soup. Water with seasonings, a bit of Andomi (instant noodle) and some Maggi.

– How long have you been living like this?

– We have been living like this for some time. We’ve been living like this for a year.

– And where are your parents?

– We have our father, our mother left and was detained somewhere. She has our family booklet and because of that, we can’t get food aid. And our father lost his ID before the revolution and cannot confirm his identity.

– How old are you?

– 10.

– What do you dream of?

– I wish things were like they used to be and that we could just have a full meal instead of going to bed hungry and waking up hungry. We always have empty stomachs; even if we eat something, we are still hungry, and it’s unbearable. Our mother left us because of this hunger, but since we were patient throughout the revolution, we can still be patient. Because if you were patient through all this hunger and everything else, you can wait a little longer. No one is on our side anymore, only God is on our side. We’ve learned patience. We wait, and God will eventually help us.

– What do you want to say to the world that has abandoned you?

– Nothing… everyone has left us and no one is on our side anymore. Once the Al Khatib family was so large, and now everyone has died and left us here. The only thing I would like to say to people is: be happy and appreciate everything you have. *

* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXXNxO1NOm4

 

 

Famine in Syria amid the ongoing war is the result of a complex interplay of factors rooted in armed conflicts, socio-economic destabilization, and international sanctions. The civil war, which has been ongoing since 2011, has led to the destruction of infrastructure, devastation of agricultural lands, and disruption of food supply chains. Armed conflict has forced millions of people to flee, and areas controlled by various armed groups often have limited access to basic resources.

Syria, once self-sufficient in food production, has now become a country where crops have been destroyed and food production has significantly declined. The destruction of fields, ruined irrigation systems, and lack of proper tools and seeds are just some of the problems affecting the country’s ability to provide food. Additionally, areas affected by the conflict often face blockades that hinder the delivery of food and humanitarian aid.

The situation is further worsened by inflation and the depreciation of the local currency, leading to a significant increase in food prices, making it unaffordable for many. High costs of basic food products are difficult to bear for families already struggling with financial issues caused by the war.

All these factors, combined with international sanctions that hinder access to international markets and restrict trading opportunities, only exacerbate the issue of hunger. As a result, famine has become one of the most severe consequences of the ongoing conflict, impacting millions of people who face an increasingly dire food situation every day.