Lebanon’s Journey of Hope and Resilience During the Holy Month
As Ramadan and Christian Lent coincide this year, Lebanese families are observing the holy season against a backdrop of deepening economic crisis. The convergence of religious observances has brought into sharp focus both the hardships ordinary people face and their remarkable capacity to endure.
Days before Ramadan began, the government approved increases in gasoline prices, customs fees, and the value-added tax—moving VAT from 11 to 12 percent. The measures, intended to fund pay raises for public sector employees, military personnel, and retirees, have sparked public anger. Many describe them as “improvised and ill-considered, at the expense of the poor and middle class.”
The Numbers Behind the Hardship
For ordinary Lebanese, the mathematics of survival have become increasingly difficult. The 1 percent VAT increase is expected to raise $259 million for the state treasury—but that money comes from citizens already struggling. Each tank of gasoline now costs an additional 300,000 Lebanese pounds (about $3.50). Container fees have risen to $50 for a 20-foot container and $80 for a 40-foot container.
The promised salary increases for public sector workers, when they arrive in early March, will not exceed $100 and will not be added to base pay. A primary school teacher’s base salary, multiplied by the newly approved factor, totals approximately $456 per month—in a country where the World Food Programme estimated the cost of feeding a family of five at $492 monthly in May 2025.
Inflation’s Relentless Climb
The Central Administration of Statistics reports that annual inflation reached 14.8 percent in 2025—significantly lower than in previous crisis years but still devastating for households whose incomes have not kept pace. Food prices continue rising, with red meat, vegetables, and fruit up 10 to 15 percent. Further increases are expected as higher gasoline prices work through transportation costs.
Economist Jassim Ajaka predicts that rising fuel prices will drive overall costs up by 25 percent. “No product or commodity will be spared,” he warned.
The Longer Crisis
These immediate pressures trace back to October 2019, when Lebanon’s financial collapse began. Since then, the Lebanese pound has lost more than 98 percent of its value. Bank deposits remain frozen. Purchasing power has collapsed. The middle class has shrunk to unprecedented levels, and tens of thousands of young people have emigrated in search of employment and basic stability.
The minimum wage now covers less than 30 percent of basic needs, according to economic experts. In Numbeo’s 2025 Cost of Living Index, Beirut ranked 168th worldwide and seventh across the Middle East and North Africa—among the most expensive cities in a region where salaries have not kept pace.
Finding Light in Holy Days
Yet Ramadan in Lebanon is not solely defined by hardship. Despite economic challenges, celebrations continue. Decorations light up neighborhoods in both cities and villages. Families gather for iftar, the meal that breaks the daily fast, even when rising food prices require careful budgeting and compromise.
Ali Ismail, a vegetable merchant, notes that prices began rising before the gasoline hike, with further increases expected. But National Farmers Union President Ibrahim Tarshishi points to an unexpected blessing: “Fortunately for the Lebanese, the unusually warm February weather during this fasting season is boosting agricultural production and increasing market availability, with the Ministry of Agriculture extending the growing season.”
Resilience as Practice
For Lebanese families, resilience is not an abstract concept but a daily practice. It means calculating whether this month’s salary will cover next week’s expenses. It means gathering for iftar with whatever food can be afforded. It means hanging decorations despite everything, because the alternative—surrendering to despair—is not an option.
“The resilience of Lebanese families was brought to the fore,” as observers note. The ability to endure and adapt has been tested once more. And once more, Lebanese families have found ways to observe their holy days, to gather with loved ones, to maintain traditions that matter.
The crisis continues. The pressures do not ease. But in homes across the country, as the sun sets and families gather to break their fast, something enduring persists. Call it faith. Call it stubbornness. Call it simply the will to live. Whatever its name, it is what carries Lebanon through another Ramadan, another Lent, another season of hope amid hardship.
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