20:55, 11-Jun-2018
Jordan Economy: Jordanians suffering from economic decline and unemployment
[]
Share
Copied
02:31
Jordan's King Abdullah is in Saudi Arabia hoping to reach an agreement with gulf country leaders on a bail out for his deeply indebted nation. Jordanians have been hit hard by years of economic decline and rising unemployment and are skeptical about future prospects. But they are still watching closely for signs of imminent relief. CGTN's Stephanie Fried reports from Amman.
MOHAMMED HAMAM UBER DRIVER "I'm scared because this is a real situation. Sure I have to be scared because this is not about me alone. But about my family. About my wife. About my kids."
Mohammed's wife left with their three kids after he lost his IT sales management position due to a company shutdown.
He's now among Jordan's nearly 19% unemployed; he moved in with his sister to save money and drives an Uber so he can buy cigarettes.
MOHAMMED HAMAM UBER DRIVER "If my kids ask me something clothes or shoes and I cannot buy it. This is very bad."
Mohammed is part of Jordan's melting middle class; they're being impacted the hardest by the economic crunch partially blamed on government corruption.
MOHAMMED HAMAM UBER DRIVER "They just talk blah blah all day without anything. Without anything."
STEPHANIE FREID, AMMAN JORDAN "I wanted to know a little bit more about Mohammed so I came to visit him here at his sister's place and found out he's not the only one who's suffering."
His widowed sister is also unemployed and raising two teenage boys on her own.
"For me, it's a very hard life. Very hard. No income."
"zero, I think. Zero help."
They live off of savings and get some help from relatives but that doesn't dissolve the constant fear - or hunger. All three mention food during our talk.
TAREQ FOURTEEN YEARS OLD "When I ask my Mom if I can buy this she says no. She doesn't have any money. I just want to be normal."
But right now, this family - like many others in Jordan - don't see quote un-quote "normal" life on the horizon.
MOHAMMED HAMAM UBER DRIVER "Now I cannot see anything. There is no future if this is continue still. This is not a future."
STEPHANIE FREID, CGTN, AMMAN, JORDAN.