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Economic meltdown in Lebanon leaves schoolchildren hungry

Lebanon's struggling households are finding it increasingly challenging to afford school lunches for their children due to financial constraints.

A volunteer serves food to needy children at a kitchen set up by charity groups in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon on Dec. 7, 2019.
A volunteer serves food to needy children at a kitchen set up by charity groups in Lebanon's southern city of Sidon on Dec. 7, 2019. — MAHMOUD ZAYYAT/AFP via Getty Images

BEIRUT — Cash-strapped Lebanese families are struggling to feed their children at home and in schools, and many have to choose between heating or food.

Many families are skipping meals and borrowing money to make ends meet, resulting in a greater dependence on food-distributing charities.

Social activists have also been distributing free meals for families to send to school with their children, targeting the most vulnerable.

Social psychologist Nasreen Najm has been working on securing meals for students at several schools in Beirut, which she distributes on a weekly basis. She told Al-Monitor, “After hearing about the situation, I visited several schools to assess the needs and decided to launch a campaign that can help those who are from low-income households.”

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