STORIED -LEBANON- SURVIVAL

AS CRISIS hits and deepens, Lebanese and businesses go fighting for survival.

Many Lebanese have been forced to close shop, and a large number have been fired or seen their salaries slashed by half, even as the cost of living increases.

AFTER decades of hard work, self-made Lebanese chocolatier Roger Zakhour thought he would finally be able to pass a successful business to his daughter. But then the  economic crisis hit.

Instead of reaping profits this Christmas, he and his 29-year-old daughter are marking down their homemade ice cream logs.

''If it continues like this, in a few months I'll be bankrupt,'' the 61-year old sitting in his small shop, surrounded by colourful stacks of hand crafted chocolates.

In protest-hot Lebanon, a free-falling economy, price hikes and severe dollar liquidity crunch have left local businesses struggling to stave off collapse.

Zakhour started making chocolates and then ice-cream in the 1990s, refining his recipes until he became a go-to for five star hotels and well-off Lebanese.

But as the economy worsened over the autumn, high-en hotels drastically reduced their orders and walk-in customers became rare.

Banks have restricted access to dollars since the end of the summer, sending prices soaring as importers struggle to ensure enough hard-currency to buy supplies.

''We're heading somewhere we never imagined we would, '' said Zakhour, who had just upgraded his kitchen when sales dropped off.

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In pursuit of  high-quality products, Zakhour imports his ingredients, paying in  euros or dollars. But with withdrawals restricted and no transfer abroad, that is no longer viable.
''Now when something runs out, that's it,'' he said.

Unprecedented protests have swept Lebanon since October 17, when people from all backgrounds demanding a complete overhaul of a political class they deem useless and corrupt.

The government stepped down on October 29, but endless political deadlock has delayed a new one being formed to tackle the urgent need for economic reforms.

Zakhour's business is just one of thousands struggling to stay afloat.

Many Lebanese have been forced to close shop, and a large number have been fired or seen their salaries slashed by half, even as the cost of living increases.

Watching all this unfold, the 31-year old nursery school teacher Lea Hedary Kreidi and her family racked their brains to see how they could help.

Shortly after protests started, they launched a group on Facebook called ''Made in Lebanon'' - The Lebanese products Group to encourage Lebanese to but locally produced goods.

In just two months, they amassed more than 32,000 members, who post ads for locally or homemade goods, or ask for local alternatives to imported products.

The honor and serving of the latest operational research and status of the beautiful people of  Lebanon, continues. The World Students Society thanks, AFP.