Venezuelan Women Sell Their Hair For Food, Medicines

The economic crisis in Venezuela is leading women to sell their hair at a Colombian border in order to afford basic necessities like food and medicines.

As many as 200 women are travelling daily to Colombia’s La Parada to sell their hair to vendors who make extensions.

According to Fortune, Celina Gonzales stood in line for an hour to sell $20 worth of her hair. Another woman was refused because her hair was too short and thin. “I’m here because I have nothing to eat.” she said.

The economy of Venezuela is expected to shrink 8 per cent this year and the IMF forecasts that inflation will reach four digits next year. The drop in oil prices, combined with economic mismanagement, have led the country to fall apart. The dire food shortages in the country mean that many have to forage through garbage and eat junk food. The country's economy is deteriorating faster than any other country. According to The Guardian, the government's  tendency to subsidise products below the cost of production is the reason the economy is a mess. The country’s pharmaceutic association estimates that around 70 per cent of the medicines the country’s citizens need has not been distributed.

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