'For my daughter'

A Tunisian hostel owner’s quest to put Tataouine on the map

An illustration with two people next to each other, the one on the left is hammering a sign with the word "hostel" and an arrow to the left, to the ground and the one on the right is sitting and reading a book. There is also a balcony on the top left with a giant shopping list flowing over it.
[Jawahir Al-Naimi/Al Jazeera]
[Jawahir Al-Naimi/Al Jazeera]
By Abdelmajid Bouharba and Stefania D'Ignoti
Published On 8 Nov 2023

What's your money worth? A series from the front line of the cost of living crisis, where people who have been hit hard share their monthly expenses.

Name: Abdelmajid Bouharba

Age: 54

Occupation: Hostel owner

Lives with: His wife Hayat (51), son Abdulrahman (24) and daughter Khadija (19).

Lives in: A three-bedroom apartment with a terrace and two bathrooms in the small city of Tataouine, southern Tunisia.

Monthly household income: Depends on the season. Usually 1,500 dinars ($474) during the tourist season (May to August), but as little as 540 dinars ($171) in the winter. Tunisia’s monthly average household income is between 200 and 500 dinars ($63 to $158).

Total expenses for the month: 1,500 dinars ($474). In October, Abdelmajid’s expenses were higher than usual as he stocked up on groceries and paid for Khadija’s annual university fees.

Source: Al Jazeera