Continuing in highlighting the humanitarian and services situation in the localities of the Jabal al-Summaq area of north Idlib countryside, we turn to the village of Jad'een. On 3 July 2020 I conducted an interview with a resident of Jad'een to discuss the humanitarian and services situation in the village. Any parenthetical insertions in square brackets are my own.
Q: First what is the number of original inhabitants and IDPs in the locality?
A: First we do not have IDPs except for a few families in the school. The number of inhabitants is around 500 or a little more.
Q: How is the services and humanitarian situation in general? For example electricity, water and prices of goods.
A: There is no electricity. Whosoever has solar power, it is fine. And the one who does not have, has God. The water is good praise be to God. The prices are expensive [lit. 'fire'] like the rest of the shops, no higher than the market.
Q: Is the water tankers?
A: No, company. We are near the locality of Kafr Takharim.
Q: So there is a water line from Kafr Takharim?
A: Yes.
Q: Are there any NGOs operating in the village? Are there any distributions of aid to the people?
A: There are some beneficiaries from the GOAL company.
Q: Yes, but there is for example no distribution of zakat to the poor in the village?
A: Most of the inhabitants of the village are in a poor state near to each other. There is zakat but it does not cover the need of some.
Q: So the Salvation Government has distributed zakat but the problem is that it does not cover the needs of the people.
A: Oh brother, the problem is the rise of the exchange price and there is no work for most of the people. Need has arisen even for the one whose state of affairs is average.
Q: Have the prices of goods settled with the transition to the Turkish lira?
A: Of course but the payments for the worker are still as they are.
Q: So the payments for work are still in the Syrian pound?
A: Yes.
Q: In summary what are the biggest challenges in the village of Jad'een from the angle of the services and humanitarian situation?
A: The services situation is acceptable in comparison with the situation in the localities around us.
Q: But the biggest problem is poverty and lack of income for people and the prices?
A: Once 15000 Syrian pounds two months ago were distributed to the village.
Q: Distribution of 15000 Syrian pounds for each family in the locality during two months?
A: Yes, two months ago, it was distributed to each family.
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(Update 8 July 2020: Typos corrected and translation revised slightly).