Flood or no flood, hunger affects the poor

According to the UN information unit report, the public is focusing on the flood affected.

LAHORE: The poor are usually given food rations during Ramazan but this year the situation is different because of the floods.

“I used to collect cooked rice and meat for Iftar from a house near where I live,” said Zahida Bibi, 50, a widow who works as a washerwoman to raise four daughters. “It used to be the best food we ate in months. Now we survive on ‘rotis’ and pickles, eaten twice a day, because that is all we can afford.” She said no food was being handed out this year as the home owners have decided to donate to flood victims.

According to the IRIN (UN information unit) report, the public is focusing on the flood affected, rather than donating their money to the poor.

“So, what should people like us do?” asked Zahida, who earns Rs5,000 a month. She said that the increased prices during Ramazan have made it impossible for them to even purchase their daily groceries. “We often go hungry and this has nothing to do with fasting,” she said.

Others have reported similar problems. “We look forward to Ramazan because it means better food as rich people donate food items like sweetened milk with almonds,” said Faisal Hamid, 15, a seminary student in Lahore. “But this year only a few have been sending items to our school to feed the 100 or more students. It may be because times are hard or because the money is going to the flood victims.”  Faisal, like many other pupils at the seminary, was enrolled there as his poor parents could not raise him and his two brothers.

Published in The Express Tribune, August 27^th, 2010.