February 8, 2022
1 min read

Lebanese pick up old professions to make ends meet

Ali Khayat, a Lebanese man in his 60s, is working behind an old sewing machine on a stack of threadbare shoes as he just opened a small repair shop in the southern city of Nabatieh…reports Asian Lite News


It has been 11 years since Khayat worked as a cobbler. Now he picked up the old profession to make ends meet for his family amid an unprecedented national financial crisis, Xinhua news agency reported.

“My old job came in handy as prices of shoes skyrocketed, forcing people to fix their old footwear and save money for their more basic needs,” Khayat told Xinhua.

Dozens of bags and shoes are stacked in his shop, a backlog so big that it has become difficult to meet the deadline for many of the orders, he noted.

“The cost of repairing shoes, no matter how much it has increased in the past two years, remains much more affordable than buying new shoes,” the old man said.

For the past two years, Lebanon has been reeling from an unprecedented financial crisis, with a poverty rate hovering around 78 per cent, where the Lebanese have been struggling to cover basic needs such as food, medication, and education.

Hassan al-Sharif, a tailor in Nabatieh, reopened his shop several months ago after noticing a surge in demand for his service, as prices of textiles and threads have skyrocketed since the collapse of the Lebanese pound to the US dollar starting late 2019.

Amjad Hayek spends hours in Lebanon’s southern villages to bleach copper kitchen utensils, during which villagers would gather around, marveling at his skills and craftsmanship.

ALSO READ: UNSC calls for normal functioning of government in Lebanon

“The rise in prices of utensils prompted people to repair their old kitchen items,” he said.

Lebanon’s financial crisis and currency collapse caused a devaluation of people’s salaries, sending a big percentage of the population into poverty.

Meanwhile, differences among political parties have hindered the process for Lebanon to reach an agreement with the International Monetary Fund on billions of dollars of aid funds.

Previous Story

No info yet on missing Afghan activists

Next Story

UAE, Belgium ink pact to boost security ties

Latest from -Top News

The UK’s Net Zero Journey

Achieving net zero is not just a technological but also a political and cultural undertaking, writes Hasil Farooque In 2019, the United Kingdom officially committed itself to eradicate all greenhouse gas emissions

Bangladesh’s Dark Side Unveiled in Geneva

Organised by diaspora activists, the exhibit exposed rising rights abuses in Bangladesh post-Hasina…reports Asian Lite News In a bid to spotlight the deteriorating human rights situation and rising persecution of minorities in

India Outpaces Peers in Morgan Stanley Outlook

Global investment firm reaffirms India’s status as top-performing economy in latest growth outlook…reports Asian Lite News India is set to retain its position as the fastest-growing economy among nations tracked by Morgan

Debt deals, austerity still rule Colombo

IMF approves $350 million t ranche as island nation sees early signs of recovery, but challenges persist amid ongoing reforms and rising public discontent….reports Asian Lite News The International Monetary Fund (IMF)
Go toTop

Don't Miss

MBZ, Shahbaz discuss regional and international developments

Mohamed bin Zayed, PM of Pakistan review advancing relations, discuss

RAK tourism authority named one of UAE’s best workplaces

Ras Al Khaimah Tourism Development Authority (RAKTDA) has further added