DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – Vendors in the Syrian capital Damascus and its countryside sell food and commodities not intended for sale, on sidewalks without any supervision or accountability, and all materials bear the logo of the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).
The problem is that “humanitarian aid is at the mercy of corrupt brokers, traders, and employees,” according to residents.
Dozens of international and regional organizations send huge amounts of humanitarian aid to Syrians through their representatives in different regions of the country.
Although this aid is supposed to be distributed free of charge to millions of needy people, a significant part of it finds its way to markets, stalls, and shops.
This process is carried out when corrupt employees in some of these organizations deal with brokers and merchants who illegally sell these materials to people, though they are supposed to reach the beneficiaries for free.
Aid market
Muhannad al-Aswad (a pseudonym), a stall owner that sells foodstuffs in the Dwel’a neighborhood, told North Press that he buys one aid basket from a broker, who takes it out of his warehouse under the pretext of destroying it as a result of being damaged during transportation, at an amount of 60,000 Syrian pounds (SYP)
“I sell the contents of the basket and make a profit of between 15,000 and 20,000 SYP,” he added.
Residents resort to buying materials from al-Aswad due to their low prices compared to other high-priced commodities in the market, because his materials are not imported and are therefore duty-free.
In addition, a number of beneficiaries sell their aid or rent cards designated for them to receive materials for several reasons, such as lack of job opportunities and their urgent need to pay rent after they were displaced from their demolished homes.
Rahaf al-Hakim, a divorced mother of two living in al-Tadamon neighbourhood, sells her food basket immediately to secure her basic needs in light of high prices and the absence of an income source.
Every 45 days, al-Hakim receives a food basket from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent.
Relief corruption
“This conflict has taken a tremendous toll on the Syrian people. Every day more and more Syrians are pushed deep into hunger and poverty, and families are faced with impossible choices,” said Sean O’Brien, WFP Representative and Country Director in Syria said in March.
” Without sustained assistance, these families simply cannot survive,” he added.
In February, an assessment by WFP estimates that a record 12.4 million Syrians, nearly 60% of the population, suffer from food insecurity and hunger.
Thus, the humanitarian aid provided by the WFP is crucial to help families who have lost everything due to declining income and increased expenses, and depend on this food to survive.
Tayseer Kanouj (a pseudonym), an official responsible for distributing food baskets in the Ish al-Warwar neighbourhood, told North Press that the sale of aid negatively affects the residents, as it deprives them of necessary foodstuffs and is distributed to families who do not need it and so sell it.
“On the other hand, there are families, regions, and camps that lack the basic necessities of life and do not deliver foodstuff; thus, they remain marginalized by some relief organizations for years because they are far from their location,” he added.
Positive side
Despite the corruption of some employees of the organizations and their exploitation of humanitarian aid to sell it, this has, to some extent, a positive side for many residents of Syria as a result of the deterioration of the economic and living situation.
Many of residents rely on food baskets because they are cheap compared to imported materials.