It was not an easy decision for Manal* to remove her two children from Unrwa’s health insurance. But it was a necessary one. Faced with a widening hole in her family’s budget, the English teacher at an Unrwa school in Jordan made a stark calculation: cut health cover or sink deeper into debt.
Every day now feels like a numbers game.
Last month, Unrwa – the UN agency for Palestinian refugees – cut salaries and working hours by 20 percent, as part of austerity measures that also saw hundreds of staff dismissed.
For Manal, that meant losing about $280 from her monthly income of roughly $1,400.
Cancelling her children’s health insurance saved her $84, but left her in constant fear of what might happen if they fall ill.
