Life in the ghettos was unbearable: there was no food and people were always hungry. In order to maintain those subhuman conditions, Germans would allow the residents to buy only a small amount of bread, potatoes and fat, which was not enough for survival. Some people that still had valuable goods or money could change them for food, which was smuggled into the ghetto.

In order to improve the situation of the orphans, community kitchens were organized in the area of Marysin, which served soup daily to those children. In this area there were also orphanages and schools, where children tried to continue their studies, participating in classes organized by the adults. Many schools were illegal and operated disguised as kitchens for the distribution of soup.