- (2020 Grant recipients of Pulitzer Center)
It may be a bit of an exaggeration, but those who have experienced in Iran know that for many families, the standard of life is being able to make a living for one night. The revolution, eight years of war, drought, sanctions and in general, the natural and social calamities have caused Iranian society to continually move from one crisis to another. The resulting human, economic and psychological costs have been enormous, to the point that even the middle class has now lost the power to face and overcome any new crisis.
After the incidence of COVID-19 in Iran and the announcement of quarantine by the government, the middle and poor classes have been stunned. They have had to choose between health or death. Lack of trust in government management and programs, a sense of futility, and the need to meet basic daily needs has prompted many people to ignore quarantine and social distancing guidelines. These include day laborers, peddlers, and the marginalized. The helplessness and vulnerability of female heads of households has also been felt more than ever. There are more than three million women heading households in Iran. Sewing, washing, housekeeping, nursing, and hairdressing are some of the jobs they usually do, even though most of them are have no insurance or organizational support.
The absence of a father doubles the responsibilities of a mother, and it is exhausting and difficult. Families of prisoners, individuals with disabilities, families with a spouse who has died, and divorced and unemployed individuals, are all exposed to these kinds of threats and social anomalies. At this time, neither quarantine, nor social distancing, nor threats of humiliation in the masculine eyes of the culture are important to these vulnerable members of society. When they leave the house, they merely hope they will not return home empty-handed every night.
- Azarshahr, Iran – April 24th , 2020 . The man in the fair does business by buying and selling cows and also he uses his truck to transport while having a mask on his face. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)
- Azarshahr, Iran – April 24th , 2020 . He owns a kind of bascule called Qapan . He gets paid to weigh the sheep sold by others. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)
- Hashtrood, Iran – April 24th , 2020. They are day laborers who are loading trucks with wood for factories. They are paid 100,000 Tomans a day equivalent to $ 6 in Iran today. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)
- Bonab, Iran, April 24th 2020. He is 75 years old. He is irrigating the Rapeseed land with his son while having a mask on his face. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVPimages)
- Tabriz, Iran, April 25th 2020. A young carrier is standing ready for job while having a mask on his face to be called to carry someone’s goods. Most carriers are not insured and are paid low in respect of the inflation. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
- Tabriz, Iran, April 26th 2020. They are disembarking the wastes from the car. The main job of many suburb dwellers of Tabriz is the wastes trade and are living in this way. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVPimages)
- Tabriz, Iran, April 26th 2020. A worker is standing ready for a job at the sales place of barrels and water tankers while having a mask on his face. Most carriers are not insured and are paid low in respect of the inflation. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
- Maragheh , Iran – April 24th , 2020. Its Cultivation season. The man is selling saplings on the way to the gardens while having a mask on his face . Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences . (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)
- Tabriz, Iran, April 26th 2020. Young workers are cleaning the hens for sale while having masks on their faces. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
- Bostan Abad, Iran, April 27th 2020. Daily-paid workers which stands on the way of factories and agricultural lands with the hope of getting jobs from employers. They wait from 7 o’clock until 10 o’clock. Most of them return to their homes disappointed. Most workers are not insured and are paid low in respect of the inflation. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences.( Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
- Tabriz, Iran, March 27th 2020. He got divorce from his wife recently and is moving his bedding items to a cheap house in suburbs. He has lost his job and paid his wife’s dowry with all of his wealth. He cannot start a new job until the end of quarantine days and is struggling with the economic problems. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVP)
- AjabShir, Iran, April 24th 2020. Mohammad is 41 years old. He is waiting for other family members in order to irrigate the land in which he has planted wheat with their help. His family’s economy depends on the income from this land. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shamsazaran / NVPimages)
- Tabriz, Iran – April 25th , 2020. The man is carrying foodstuffs from the storeroom with his handcart while having a mask on his face . He is a day laborer who makes a living by carrying other people’s belongings and a meager salary. Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)
- Bonab , Iran – April 24th , 2020 . The woman is going towards her husband’s farm while she is on the back of her husband’s truck . Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)
- Azarshahr, Iran – April 24th , 2020 . The man in the fair is selling the needs of the villagers with his truck . Iran is amongst five of the countries with the highest spread of COVID-19. Iran’s government began an official lockdown on March 15th, 2020, the quarantines in place are for those who do not exhibit symptoms but have been exposed to the illness. For the large number of Iranians who live on a day by day income, staying home, means having no money to pay for essential things such as food. Therefore, they must take their life in their own hands and work in order to survive even at the risk of getting infected, spreading the virus in society at large, and even getting fined for breaking the quarantine. For them, choosing either path has extreme consequences. (Photo by Jalal Shams Azaran / NVP)