Aïcha and her family took refuge in Lebanon eight years ago after fleeing the war in Syria. Settled in the Bekaa Valley, they have managed, over time, to take care of themselves. But that was without counting on the economic crisis that hit the country last year. "Before, it was good. We managed to buy food," recalls Aïcha. "But with the coronavirus, there is nothing left to eat. You leave to buy food and you come home empty-handed because you cannot afford it."

Badawi, one of Aïcha's cousins, worked as a day laborer. But since confinement, he has been unemployed. Meanwhile, prices have doubled or even tripled. Badawi's wife works 13 hours a day in the fields and earns 20 cents an hour. With the increase in prices, she has to work 4 hours to be able to buy a liter of milk.

"The situation is tragic with the pandemic. It is difficult to live like that. There are children who have never tasted meat here," said Badawi. These families are from Homs, a region of Syria that has been ravaged by civil war. They don't even know if their houses are still standing.

These refugees claim to feel safe in Lebanon. But as it becomes increasingly difficult to meet their most basic needs, they feel compelled to return to Syria sooner than expected.

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