Souk El Khodra_SoW223

8/2/2019 Souk El Khodra_SoW223

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Community organizing:

Souk El Khodra of BeirutBy Ayman Knaifati

Haigazian University

SOW 223

Email:[email protected]

This report is bidirectional where it is used for two purposes. The first is to observe the

community under study Souk El Khodra, with an identified method for information

gathering of social, economic, and residential conditions. The second is to identify the

problems of the Souk and give valuable solutions for organizing and developing the Souk.

N.B: The file is attached with an illustrated map of the Souk and live Photographs.
mailto:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]:[email protected]


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Contents

Contents. 2

Preface.3

Introducing Souk El Khodra4

The Method used for gathering information6

The Observation..8

Defining the problems.11

Problems illustration and solutions suggested.12

Conclusion and Suggestions.16

Photography.17


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Preface

The first step one has to take in establishing a community profile is that of proceeding much

like a good journalist; walking through the area one is surveying and looking at it as though

through the lenses of a sensitive camera ( Allan Twelvetrees). Souk El Khorda of Beiruti

is the

community I have chosen to build my report on. Thus, and for the sake of a good information

gathering, I had to undergo certain procedures. First, I needed a new identity to enter the Souk

as an undercover reporter. Second, I had to learn about the Souks big vendors (the most

powerful and the oldest venders) so I would get significant and reliable information from them.

Third, I needed to find a perfect time where the Souk is not crowded in-order to take pictures

and be free to eye every corner in the Souk.

This report will focus on organizing, and widening the issue of Souk El Khodra, and to label its

problems and find the necessary solutions.


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Introducing Souk El Khodra

Souk El Khodra of Beirut is located near Madina Reyadiya near Hafez Al Assad high way (fig.

1)ii. Souk El Khodra is one of the oldest Souks in Beirut; it was established in 1948 that is 5

years after the declaration of the Lebanese independence 1943. As it is costumed in Arabic and

Islamic countries, the Souks are located near the big Mosques or by the big gates of a city. In

1894, Beirut Souks were named after the merchandises they display, for example; Souk El

Hariri (The Silk Market), Souk el Khodar (The vegetable Market), Souk El Sagha (The Jewelry

Market) or by the name of the craft, for example; Souk El Najjareen (The Carpenters Market),

Souk El Haddadeen (The Blacksmiths Market), or according to family names for example;

Souk Edrees, Souk El Twaini, Souk El Itani. Unfortunately, most of these Souks no longer exist

due to urbanization. On the other hand, new Souks has emerged which are more developed and

evolved such as, Souk Verdun street, Souk Hamra street, and Souk Mar Elyas Street.

Souk El Khodra is a public institution run by the Union of Fruits and Vegetables Vendors (fig.

2), which is run by a committee chair member Mohammad El Kaysi. The Souk is a market for

all kind of fruits and vegetables, not only Lebanese products but imports from broad countries

as well; Syria, Jordon, Egypt, Saudi Arabia. The most dominating vegetable is the Egyptian and

the Lebanese potato, the Lebanese Tomato comes next with the slight domination of Lebanese

Onion.

The Souk opens daily from 1:00 am and closes at 6 pm, with the exception of Saturday noon

where it closes and reopen again Monday morning 10:00 am. The Souk is well known with its

wide variety of fruits and vegetables; each vendor has his own store where he displays his

merchandise. Further illustration about the Souk is mentioned in the observation section.


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The Method used for gathering information

It is somehow impossible to enter the Souk as a reporter and obtain the information you want, hence, the

vendors will not give you any information for they would think that you are from a government agency.

Their worst fear is the Ministry of Finance, and the Ministry of Health. Thus and by all means, I had to

go undercover as a worker who unloads the vegetables from the pickup trucks int o the stores attal.

Fortunately, I had a confederate who helped through introducing me to the store owners and vendors with

an undercover identity name as Mortada. Mohammad El Hammoud, my confederate and my first

connection into the Souk is a pickup truck owner; his job is to transport fruits and vegetables from one

place to another according to the buyer.

My first step was to be part of this community and to socialize with the vendors, the store owners, the

workers and most importantly the Union members. My first job was to unload a truck full of tomato into

the store of Walid Amairat (fig. 3); Walid Amairat is one of the oldest vendors in the Souk his expertise

are in Tomato, Potato and Onions.

The second step was to locate the significant observation points where I can take pictures, notes and

report the residential, economic, social condition of the Souk. (Further illustration is in the Observation).

Third step, is to find the specific time, by which I can walk and move freely in the Souk without drawing

any attention, after the deep research I find out that Friday 11:30 am is the perfect time to start my

observation hence most the Souks vendors would be at the Mosque; Fridays Prayer.


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1

During my undercover mission, I had to unload a pickup truck full of tomato in Malek

Omairats store. We were three workers unloading the truck; Mohammad Hammoud my

confederate who helped me get the job, myself and a 15 years old child! I was barely able to lift

two boxes of tomato, where my partner Ahmad (15 years old) was lifting 3 to 4 boxes of tomato.

Note that the box of tomato is about 15 kilos, as a result a 15 years old was lifting about 45 kilos

in every round. I tried to have a conversation with Ahmad, and I knew that he is a 15 years old

school dropout from a village in Syria who came to Lebanon to get money for his family. Note

that for every truck Ahmad (the workers) unload will get them 5000 L.L

1 (Fig. 3) My first job to be familiarize with the Souks Vendors for later observation plan


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The Observation [Friday, 11:30 pm]

(Attached map of the Souk at the end of the file)

Souk El Khodra has 4 gates, one on each corner, one main gate (fig. 4) and three other

peripherals. When you enter the gate you will be annoyed with the awful smell of vegetables

and fruit waste that are found everywhere in the Souk (fig.5). Beside the main gate, there is the

first parking lot (fig. 6), where it is used in an unorganized fashion by the store owners and

vendors cars. On the left you will notice a small timeworn building used as a police station.

There are only 3 police members currently organizing the Souk, the chief of policeAbu Hassan

is always present at the main gate sitting down inefficiently drinking his coffee and smoking his

cigarettes, while the other two would be roaming around the Souk. After the first parking lot,

you will not miss the awful smell of urine and dump in the little cabinet that is called a

bathroom (fig.7). The bathroom has 3 small cabinets, there is a man sitting beside the bathroom

that get paid 500 L.L for every person who wants to use the bathroom. Thus, the Souk workers

do not use the given bathroom so they wont pay 500 L.L; they go to the walls and dumpsters of

the Souk and use it as a free bathroom. The second parking lot is located beside the dumpster

and it used by the Transporting Trucks, their job is to transport fruits and vegetables from one

place to another according to the buyer. All of the roads are in an awful condition, an average of

30 cm holes in the ground full of dirty water, vegetable and fruit wastes. The cars and pickups

barley can move through it (fig. 8).

The Souk is divided into Easter and Western Rows, both rows contain the stores that display the

fruits and vegetables. Between the rows comes an alley (fig.9), a very tight terrible condition

road (cant fit a car); they use it to dump their waste from the both side stores, or to display their

merchandise. The alleys are very dangerous for strangers, thus it is full with drug dealers and


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prisons breakers. You will notice at the corner of the alley, a 14 years old Syrian child

delivering coffee and tea to the vendors (fig.10). What makes the peripheral roads and the alleys

even close-fitted is the door steps of the stores that are being illegally rented to Syrian vendors

to display their merchandises. Referring to my confederateMohammad Hammoud, who has

been working in the Souk for 3 years; the store owners rent their doorsteps for 100 to 150 $ per

week. According toMohammad Hammoudthe venders are demographically divided as:

Majority Kurdish( Sunni) store owners/ old Vendors.

Minority Shiaworkers and few store owners

Different nationalities and ethnicity Mostly Syrian and Palestinians

Between the alleys there is a main road that is used by the pickup trucks to unload the fruits and

vegetables into the stores. According toAli Barakat, a store owner on the second Easter row,

the road is tight and in a very bad condition that can only let one pickup to pass, thus it makes a

terrible traffic, where the costumers and pickup trucks have to wait till the pickup unloads its

boxes (fig. 11).

On the left side of the Souk, there is a parking lot used by costumers and pickup owners. The

condition of this parking lot is somehow acceptable, no dumpsters are found, and the road is in

a fine condition in comparison to the other roads, according to my confederate that is because

this parking lot is rarely used since it is located away from the stores. Other than costumers

cars and pickups, there are two bulldozers and one pickup that are used to clean the dumpster in

the Souk. The Bulldozers are in a bad condition, one bulldozer is mechanically worn out, and

the second does the job for the two. (Fig. 12)


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The Union of Fruit and Vegetable Vendors is located outside the Souk; it is an old worn-out

empty building. The chair personMohammad El kaysi comes to check on the Souk every

Monday, where he supposed to stay in his daily job in the Union building. My confederate

Mohammad Hammoud states that, the dumpster pickup trucks and bulldozers who are

supposed to be on the work daily, do not work but on Monday when the chairperson of the

union visit. In addition, the two officers who are supposed to organize the traffic do not take

their jobs seriously until the appearance of Mr. Kaysi.


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Defining the problems

A. Unorganized Parking lotB. Lack of members and organization in the Police stationC. Health problems and waste in the BathroomsD. Roads are in a very bad conditionsE. Illegal door step rental in alleysF. The Eastern alley is very tight due of dumpster and doorstep rentalsG. Unorganized, unhealthy dumpsters (fig.13)H. Traffic problems due to road bad conditionI. Lack of tools and facilities.J. Child labor

Note: as it is noticed, the problems are the cause and effect of each others. i.e.: if problem F

was solved problem G will be consequently out of the picture etc.


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Problems illustration and solutions suggested

Significant questions are asked; what seem to be visible problems or issues in the Souk? Is it a

stable area? Is the area in transition, improving, deteriorating? What areas of community

capacity need to be developed so that these problems or issues can be dealt with?

These questions can be answered after identifying the visible problems of the Souk and working

out a solution with an organized developmental plan.

A. Unorganized parking lots:There are four parking lots areas in the Souk; the store owners cars area, the transporting trucks

area, the pickup trucks area, and the area used for costumers. The problem with in these lots, is

not because they do not have enough area, however, the problem lies in the unorganized area.

There is enough parking lot area in the Souk and maybe it is more than enough. In an interview

with 3 pickup owners and 2 costumers, they assert that the problem is in the way the pickups

park. After reviewing the map of the souk, a solution was on hand; the four parking lot space

could be joined into two big parking lots; one for the costumers and one for the trucks. A

solution we discussed is to be organized as follows:

The Main gate parking lot used by the Vendor and store owners should be canceled, thus is it

the main problem of traffic. The Vendors can park their cars in the pickup truck area where

there is enough space for them. On the other hand, the parking lot of the costumers should

remain in tacked.

B. Lack of members and organization in the Police station:Organizing a police station would be somehow impossible because of the political division in

the station where; the chief of PoliceAbu Hassan is supported by Tayyar El Mustaqbal and the


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two other officers are fromHaraket Aamal. However, a simple solution I suggested, where we

mention this problem to the Unions chair-personMohammad El Kaysi, who is supported by

Tayyar El Mustaqbal as well, who can talk to the chief of police and let him organize his station

and no political sensitive issue would occur hence both are from the same party. As the political

sensitivity is out of our way, we can start organizing the station by getting new officer members

to the Souk; two members fromHaraket Amal and two from Tayar El Mustaqbal.

C. Health problems and waste in the bathroomThe smell of the bathrooms is intolerable, waste is every, the cabinets are in awful condition. A

health inspector is needed. A petition should be claimed to the Ministry of Health to take upon

this issue. Meanwhile, the main problem of the bathrooms is their 500 L.L entrance; most

workers do not want to pay to go the bathroom, so they go to the alleys and the walls of the

Souk, which creates another health problem. A police officer should be on guard for such

situation.

D. Roads are in a very bad conditions:If problem A is fixed, which is organizing the parking lots, problem D would be the next step

for development. Thus, with the help of the Works Ministry, the roads can be fixed easily if

there were serious complaints from the Souk members and costumers. Therefore, a program of

awareness should be initiated to let the Souk vendors be aware of the major problems they have.

If the roads were fixed, the pickups will easily unload its merchandises, and that will financially

turn to the store owners who by that time can unload several trucks in one day.


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E. Illegal door-steps rental in the alleys:According to eye witnesses, the municipality does not know about this illegal renting, and if

they do they are being bribe to stay silent. Thus, the Finance Ministry should be aware of the

problem where by their own means they can work it out with the municipality.

F. The Eastern alley is very tight due of dumpster and doorstep rentalsThe alley has become a dumpster for the store owners, although there is a dumpster in the Souk

behind the pickup trucks parking lot. It is obvious that the Souk dumpster does not fit the waste

from the Souk. Therefore, a Sukleen shifts should accommodate the Souk daily to clean away

the main dumpster. On the other hand, the vendors should be alerted that dumping their wastes

in the alleys will negatively turn upon their business, and if they could dump into the dumpster

instead of the alley they would have enough and clean healthy place to display their fruits and

vegetables.

G. Unorganized and unhealthy dumpsterH. Traffic problems due to road bad condition

If problem F is solves, then there would be no problem in G, consequently; if problem D was

fixed, there wouldnt be traffic problems.

I. Lack of tools and facilities:It is shown in the observation that there are only two bulldozers and one pickup truck for the

dumpster. One of the bulldozers is mechanically worn-out. At least two brand new bulldozers

and two new pickup trucks should be provided to the Souk in order to keep it clean. In addition,

a water tank should be provided to clean up the streets of the Souk daily at 6 pm.


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J. Child laborThe United Nations and the International Labor Organization consider child labor exploitative

with the UN stipulating, in article 32 of the Convention on the Rights of the Child that:

..States Parties recognize the right of the child to be protected from economic exploitation and

from performing any work that is likely to be hazardous or to interfere with the child's

education, or to be harmful to the child's health or physical, mental, spiritual, moral or social

development. Although globally there is an estimated 250 million children working

Thus and by all means, the Ministry of Social affairs should visit the Souk and see not only

child labor, but also the dangerous situations the child is working at (fig.10).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nationshttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Labor_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Rights_of_the_Childhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Convention_on_the_Rights_of_the_Childhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/International_Labor_Organizationhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/United_Nations


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Conclusion and suggestions

After the observation, identifying the problems and giving solutions, there is ought to be a

suggestion given;

Regardless of the 9 main problems the Souk has, one problem remains. One problem which is

one of the most significant problems occur in all community development; Organization.

Organization is the main problem of the Souk, with good organizing and planning the Souk will

overcome its current problems. Organizing a certain community should be upon certain rules: iii

1. There should be an individual effort and will to organize and develop the Souk2. If the organization doesnt grow it will die.3. The most important victory is the Souk itself.4. If youre not fighting for what you want, you dont want enough

Suggestion

Reorganize the Union of Fruits and Vegetables, make up a meeting with the members,( I advise

to advocate new members) let there be daily shifts in the Union. Let the people be motivated by

their self-interests. Let there be awareness campaigns to all members, thus it's important that, at

an early stage of the development of any group, they learn to deal with conflict and

confrontation.


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iv

v


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vi

vii


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viii

ix


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x


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xi

xii


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xiii


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i Souk El Khodra : is an Arabic Term for a Vegetable and Fruit Market, where all vendors accumulate in one place

to sell their fruits and vegetables.ii A Satellite image by Google Maps locating Souk El Khodra.

iiiCommunity Organizing: http://comm-org.wisc.edu/papers97/beckwith.htm

iv (fig. 4) The Main Gate of the Soukv (fig.5) The Fruits and Vegetable waste you find on the groundvi (fig.6) The unorganized Parking Lotvii (fig.7) Bathroomsviii (fig.8) the holes in the ground shows the condition of the roads in the Soukix (fig.9) The Alley of the Souk

x ( fig. 10) a 14 years old working in the worse awful conditions.xi (fig.11) the main road Traffic problemxii (fig.12) Two bulldozers and one pickup truck used to clean the dumpster. One bulldozer is in an awful condition.

xiii (fig. 13) unorganized, unhealthy dumpster.
http://comm-org.wisc.edu/papers97/beckwith.htmhttp://comm-org.wisc.edu/papers97/beckwith.htm

Documents

Souk El Khodra_SoW223