As Muslims worldwide observe the yearly Eid al-Adha holiday, or the “Feast of Sacrifice,” top global wheat importer Egypt is set to receive a $500 million loan from the World Bank to help cushion the impact of the war in Ukraine on food and nutrition security. From Cairo, Hamada Elrasam documents worshipers as they prepare for the sacred Islamic festival in the shadow of deepening economic insecurity. Words by Elle Kurancid.
Egypt Prepares for Eid Amidst Economic Insecurity
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Mohamed (left) and his family live in this two-bedroom apartment. The daily wages of their household’s three men (two pictured) help supplement rations of state-subsidized bread with unsubsidized loaves. Old Cairo, July 5, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)
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Mohamed’s family mainly eats their bread with cheese, jam, and raw vegetables to avoid the extra cost of cooking gas. Old Cairo, July 5, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)
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Mohamed Mostafa, a donkey-barber-turned-day-laborer and father of five, says, 'I can’t afford or eat meat, so the charity of my community makes my children happy instead of feeling lesser than others.' Old Cairo, July 5, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)
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A livestock market ahead of Eid al-Adha. 'The turnout is low this year,' says Wassim, a sheepherder. 'By now, I’m usually back home.' Cairo, July 7, 2022. (Hamada Elrasam/VOA)