Vera suffered like all Syrians during the war, she used to work with a local designer but their workplace was hit by a shell, consequently the designer left the country, he hoped she would come along because of her great work quality but she stayed here and started working from home to provide for her family and take care of her son and husband.

Vera and her husband Antranik and son Hosep were displaced from their home in Al-Midan after it was damaged completely to a safer but smaller house given to them by one of their relatives. It was very difficult time for Vera’s family since her husband was shot in the leg by a sniper in Bustan Albasha where his shop was, and after many painful surgeries he still suffers till this day. Vera’s son also was discharged from the army service after a medical mistake left him unable to walk or talk properly, the 43-years-old Hosep cannot work due to his medical situation, which makes Vera the only provider of her family. Vera is now looking for support to purchase sewing machines as the machine she works on now is very outdated and started to affect the work greatly, the new machines will be put in the same room where the son sleeps because the house is very small. The determination and will of this woman are truly overwhelming in the most positive way despite all the hardships she faces daily.

Wassim Haddad is a good husband and a father of Soheil, his 2-years-old son. 

Wassim is a hardworking man, since 2000 he has been in the Aluminum manufacturing business, a business that requires physical strength, skills and experience, first he started in Telefon Hawaae area until he could be more independent and resourceful, he moved to Al-Ashrafie neighborhood and established his own business. Wassim was working day and night to prove himself, his main focus was to expand his work, that’s why any additional profits he made was invested in purchasing the primary materials or renewing his tools. 

Wassim had a promising future in business, but unfortunately, war changed everything!

Wassim was subject to harassment and religious discrimination in the area of his work place, he was the only Christian in the area which built up the tension, not long after in late 2012, the armed groups took over and the threats became reality, Wassim was not in the shop when this incident happened, but the next day when he went there to check on the workshop, it was emptied completely, nothing was saved from robbery and Wassim was left with nothing… 

Losing all his investments in business was not the only loss Wassim experienced; his family was forced to leave their rented house in Al-Midan neighborhood as it became extremely dangerous and moved to a slightly safer place, he also moved his workshop after his great loss.

The new equipment and supplies Wassim applied for are essential for the continuity of his work, since the economic challenges are exceeding the expectation and the tolerance of craftsmen like Wassim whom already have lost a lot but still want to work his way towards recovery.

38-years-old Aboud Qudsieh, his wife Hanadi and their twelve years old daughter Cecilia, live in their rented house in Al-Jabrieh neighborhood. Maybe Cecilia was too young to remember when the war reached Aleppo, but Al-Jabrieh was not where her family used to live. They were renting in Al-Midan back then, but due to the dangerous situation in Al-Midan and the non-stop shells’ attacks, they were forced to find another place to stay. The same fears daunted Aboud about his workshop, Aboud who owned a furniture upholstery workshop in Al-Midan was horrified when the residents of the neighborhood and his fellow workshop owners started to evacuate afraid for their safety. He already was not able to work because of the unstable situation, he was worried that his machinery would get stolen in the deserted streets, that’s why he sold his machinery and transferred his work to other workshops in safer places. 

Aboud did not stop working (even when he had to share his profit with other carpenters) except for a year in 2010 when he was called for the military service, it was a hard time for Aboud and his family. 

What Aboud struggles with today is that due to the expensiveness of life and the economic crisis, he is not able to repurchase new machinery and tools instead of the ones he once sold. He is now back to his own workshop in Al-Midan, but since he does not have a sewing machine or other necessary tools, he is ought to involve other workshops to complete the work; which means splitting the profits with these other parties. In addition to the extra time consumed in this process. If Aboud becomes independent again his profits will increase just like his productivity, and his family will be financially more stable.

George Hanna, his wife Faten and their two children Elias (12 years old) and Joelle (10 years old) were living peacefully in a small city near Al-Raqqa. George was a workshop owner for cars maintenance when the war started. At first, war was far from their little town, but when armed factions started to move East towards Raqqah and Deir Ez-Zor governorates, threatening the lives of citizens and confiscating their properties. George decided it was time to leave for the sake of his family’s safety. Faten’s mother offered the family a place to stay since she lived alone in Aleppo, so without hesitation George sent his family to Aleppo while he was hoping to finish his obligations. Unfortunately, things weren’t going as wished, George couldn’t finish his work on time and his escape journey ended up with kidnapping… 

During captivity, George went through a spiritual challenge, his heart was filled with bravery and his trust in God strengthened him when his destiny was completely unknown. His faith did not fail him, after stressful couple of days George and other hostages were released and he was reunited with his family at last.

George’s challenges did not end there, in 2015 he was called for service and his station assignment was in Damascus, so he was separated from his family for a long time, until in 2019 he was finally discharged. When George came back to Aleppo, he had no financial resources that would qualify him to open a workshop of his own, a step like that required a huge capital which he did not own. George made a partnership with a craftsman in the same field of work, just to get started. 

Although this partnership is enabling George to put bread on the table. However, with support, George can expand his business and increase his profits drastically. The majority of the tools George wants to purchase are essentials in his profession, and obtaining them means a better life for the whole family in the future. 

Hakop Santorian is originally from Al-Ghassaniya village in Idleb province, he worked as a goldsmith with his uncle since 1998.

He lived with his parents in Al-Midan area, during the war the house was damaged by the shells many times. In 2016, he decided to move to Armenia with his family, especially for the sake of his brother who suffers from a mental disability, but unfortunately they were shocked by the livelihood reality there; the rents were very high and the job opportunities were very limited, Hakop worked there in designs for two years but the situation was very hard.

When the family found out that things are better in Syria, they returned to Aleppo. Hakop searched for a job but he couldn’t go back to his old work as the new regulations limited the work in this field, his brother offered him a job in his workshop for plastic molds; as he was gaining experience in this business, he also gained many acquaintances in the area. 

This job requires a mean of transportation for the shipping and services, which is something Hakop quickly noticed and he started to think about this project that he would benefit from a great deal; if he had a pick-up truck he would make a lot of profit and also increase the work in the workshop, that’s way he will have a bigger income than his current percentage, specially that his wife Tamar doesn’t work so he is the only provider.

This job will allow Hakop to make a good living on his own, and he can then start thinking about having a child and expand his family with a hope for a better days to come.

It’s been three years since Gabriel Afessa returned from Lebanon, but he is still not able to go back to his main profession and practice in manufacturing metal furniture like he used to do before. This craftsman is 54 years old, married and blessed with two children; a 23 years old son Yousef and 10 years old daughter Angie. 

From a very young age he started learning about blacksmith, then he broadened his horizon and entered the domain of upholstery and spent a lifetime working hard on cultivating his skills and providing for his family.

During the war, he was obliged to have other jobs to survive; in 2012 he was selling cigarettes in the street near his house in Al-Midan after he lost his work, but the whole area suffered from shells attacks the thing that made Gabriel move to Lebanon. During his stay in Lebanon he worked in blacksmith; he suffered a lot from work exploitation, low salaries and discrimination against Syrians working there, all this made him decide to come back. In 2018, Gabriel returned to Aleppo with less financial reserves than what he left with in 2015. he couldn’t open a workshop of his own and the contractors he used to collaborate with before the war were all gone too. He found a job as an employee in a juice factory, but at the end he realized that he had to go back to his original craft; manufacturing metal furniture in order to have a decent life.

Today Gabriel has all the skills and the experience needed in his work field, and one of his supportive friends gave him a place to use as a workshop without any charge in return, the only obstacle in his way is the lack of finance to buy the equipment and tools that are essential for him to be able to work properly. Without some necessary machines for instance, he can’t cut the metal material and shape them to create the furniture he wants. 

This project will help this skillful man to get back to his work and provide for his family, and also to revive this craft which is returning to demand.

For a person who has chosen driving for a living since 1997, it became more than a profession and turned into a lifestyle. 

Hanna Wassouf Afessa first started with a construction company driving one of their dump trucks then in 2006 after nine years with the company he retired and chose to drive inside the city on a taxi car, it was more convenient specially that by that time he made a contract with Al-Enaya School to drive on of the school buses that carry the students daily. 

Although driving was not his original profession, (Hanna worked in wall paints but due to some health problems caused by the chemical fumes, he had to walk away from that job), but he found his passion in driving, he tried working on every type of different vehicles.

When the war started in Syria in late 2011, it did not stop Hanna from practicing what he loves, on the contrary he was working on highway transportation between provinces, and by the time the highways were not that safe anymore, a new service started to become popular; escorting cars to cross highways between Syrian cities.

Hanna soon caught up that wave and started escorting families that wanted to travel by land and in their own cars, guiding them through the bumpy roads until they reach the safety shores away from Aleppo and its dangers, then he would return alone after his mission is successfully accomplished. That process went on for a while, the profit was good considering the huge risk of getting hurt or kidnapped, which is what happened one day…

On one of those journeys, some bandits crossed his way threatening Hanna and the family he was escorting, by a miracle they were left physically unharmed, but that incident was enough for Hanna to quit that risky job, specially that he was newly married and about to start a family.

The only thing to regret from quitting was the good income, he knew he needed to find an additional source of income, when the situation became worse with all the increasing costs of living. To counteract those increasing costs, Hanna left his rented apartment and moved in with his mother-in-law to cut back the expenses. But if Hanna could have his own taxi, things will start to get better for him (he currently rent a car to work) and his financial situation will change drastically, allowing Hanna to support his mother financially and live a decent life.

Antoinette Al-Shahin and her husband George Kerbaj found themselves in an empty nest after their two boys left the country during the war; after finishing their university studies, the boys were struggling, Antoinette and George were also desperate to make sure that their precious sons get a better future as the war was slowly crawling into the lives of Syrian civilians. The only place they were able to send their kids to was Venezuela, in order to cover the travel expenses George sold his taxi, the family’s source of livelihood.

Losing that car had a huge impact on the financial status of the family, George had to find another way to provide but unfortunately his heart condition and overall health didn’t leave much of a choice for the 61-years-old man, Antoinette became the main provider of the house. During the war particularly at the start of it in Aleppo (around 2013) their house in Al-Suleymanieh area was damaged more than once, and although the church helped with most of the repairing costs, it was overwhelming to stay and relive the explosion moments that caused the destruction in the first place, so Antoinette and her husband relocated to Damascus; Antoinette’s hometown, her brother who used to own a women’s clothes shop started depending on his sister in the business, and slowly Antoinette acquired a ton of experience in sales, and got acquainted with many suppliers. This experience became extremely helpful after the couple moved back to Aleppo in 2018, since they rented a shop in the same neighborhood where they live and started selling women’s clothes for a living.

George now helps his wife in everything, he stays in the shop while she goes to make business deals with suppliers, or travels to Damascus to ship some merchandise. However, the constantly rising prices are making it harder for the couple to invest in more supplies or to spend on necessary storefront details maintenance. 

The help they are wishing to get for opening a clothes shop will be very useful; since the more variety of items they offer in the shop, the more customers they can satisfy and thus the wheel of business will run faster for the lovely couple. 

Jeanette Dahrieh is a beautiful young lady and a mother of four who is about to join the work force to support her family. 

This 28-year-old woman made a hard decision to work with four children and no previous experience, but she felt the urge to step up and do something, specially that the war has impacted their lives gravely. Jeanette and her family were living in Al-Midan area when the war started, back then she had her son Victor and she was about to give birth to her daughter, although they were not harmed but the horrible sounds of shells falling around was nerve wrecking. On top of that the house was rented and Marwan (Jeanette’s husband) was called for military recruitment, the thing that limited the family’s resources. 

Jeanette was praying for a safer place, God answered her prayers and a good man offered them a place in a relatively safer area so she was relieved, they moved to the new apartment although couple of years later it turned out to be as dangerous as Al-Midan. However, the thing that made them suffer the most was the financial troubles, Marwan was the sole provider for the family of five and his salary was not enough to secure the basic needs of the children. One day he got injured with shrapnel that caused a hip bone fracture which required a long recovery process.

All those challenges made Jeanette more insistent to find a job, but with four children all under nine it was impossible to find a work with a company or a workshop, because of the long hours and strict schedule. 

Jeanette had an idea, she thought that maybe she could utilize her talents and interest in makeup and beauty domain to make a living and support her four children. But that road was rocky too. The first obstacle that Jeanette had to face was the lack of finances, she couldn’t afford to rent a salon or a shop, and she was not known in the business field and didn’t know where to start. That’s exactly why her idea was postponed until she applied and got accepted for her micro project. 

Today Jeanette is full of hope and optimistic about her idea, she believes that renting the shop will allow potential clients to get to know the shop and at the same time the instant profits from selling beauty products and underwear will help her get through the first period until she builds a good reputation as a makeup artist, and the best thing is that the shop is actually in front of her own building, that way she could be near her children when she needs to. This support will create an income for this big family as Jeanette is the only provider now, and as a strong woman she is ready to depend on herself.

Bushra Katanjian had a good life with his wife Silvana and their two sons, Jean and Issa.

But the war cost Bushra more than he ever imagined, his losses were growing through the years. First, he lost his job; he was a crane driver since 1980, but in 2014 due to the war, the business was slow and the income from it was no longer useful. Then his wife got shot when she was in the local market of Al-Midan near her house, although she made it through, the injury left its impact on her. That horrible experience was followed by another graver one, when their building was hit with an explosive shell which caused the walls to crack.

Surviving all those deadly experiences was a miracle, Bushra was thankful that they were all safe despite everything and life continued. Bushra started new job in 2015 when he decided to rent a taxi and use it as his livelihood source of income in order to provide for his family, things were starting to turn around, the family thought that the hard days are over, not knowing what fate was still hiding…

In 2020, Bushra’s oldest son who was in the military service, came home and spent the holidays with his parents, then returned to his serving point in AlـMaara city. The young man said goodbye to his parents with tearful eyes and those were the last memories of him; the morning after they heard the news of their precious son’s death… He was only 32, he had his whole life ahead of him, but the dreadful war stole his dreams and hopes and crushed his parent’s hearts.

When Bushra applied for his project of a taxi, he had mixed feelings, his wounded heart was impacted with the great loss of his son, and his eyes were hopeless, filled with despair and pain. He is still in grief, mourning his young son but at the same time he knew that he had a family that still needs him, he didn’t have another choice but to stay strong and be there for his wife and son Issa. He needs this opportunity as the responsibilities on his shoulders are bigger than ever, hoping that time will heal his heart and give him and his family the condolence.

Abed Ahmar (35 years old) lives with his wife Najla and their little son Adib in Al-Suleymanieh area, anyone who knows the area remembers how hard things were in the years between 2013-2015 on all the residents, and Abed’s family was not an exception. 

Their last night in their apartment was horrendous, on April 2015, the mortar shell attacks became intolerable, people were afraid of losing their lives or their loved ones. One night Abed started hearing usual explosion sounds, they were closer than ever, so his son who was less than two years old back then got scared, to make him feel safer, Abed remembers how he laid his son behind a stack of blankets, but the sounds were getting higher and closer… 

At the end the family spent the whole night in the bathroom, the living room windows were shattered by the deadly shrapnel. This was the last night in their house and since then they were displaced to Abed’s father’s house.

Meanwhile, regarding his livelihood things were more stable for Abed. The young man entered the field of mobile phones retail and maintenance business a long time ago in 2006, when mobile phones made a revolution into affordable technology. Through the years, he made a well-known name for himself. However, the economic crisis impacted him as much as anyone else in Aleppo, he was affected with the significant decrease of currency value and with the burdens of rehabilitating his damaged apartment, his ability to develop his business was limited. 

Now that the situation is better in the city, Abed’s family is growing; he and his wife are expecting a baby soon.

With the prosperity of his family, Abed wants for his business to thrive. With this support he will be able to expand his business, supply his shop with modern and up-to-date devices to keep up with the store reputation and status that he has been working hard on in the last years.       

After graduating from the Mechanical Engineering Department, Steve found himself pursuing a completely different path of design and marketing, he started to improve his skills through courses in this field and in the year 2000 he began his career with a company in Damascus; he designed road advertisements.

Unfortunately with the start of the war in 2012, Steve lost his job like many other Syrians and was suddenly without any source of income for his family; his wife Rita and his girl Christelle.

He searched for any solution that would provide some income, so he moved to Aleppo and worked with his brother in a pastry place. Steve was working in something he doesn’t like and the salary wasn’t enough especially when in 2015 the family welcomed their newborn boy.

The design is a passion for Steve that he always thinks about going back to, but the financial resources needed for that step is hard to secure with all the life expenses and daily hardships; like the rent, children needs and the health condition he personally suffers from in his heart which required an open-heart surgery few years ago and now he needs regular medication.

Recently, Steve felt hopeful again after hearing about the Micro Projects initiative, he wants to get back to his original business through the support to buy the equipment required and he can work from home, his long years of experience and his love of being always up-to-date in this field will help him to have a successful work.

Fania's life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Bassam, fell ill, leaving him unable to provide for their family. With a studying son to support, her mother-in-law, and her husband's health deteriorating, Fania knew she had to act fast. 

Determined to secure a future for her family, she seized the opportunity presented by their small shop. With hope, She applied for assistance from the Micro Projects Program, seeking support to stock shelves, buy a refrigerator, and purchase goods to transform the shop into a mini-market and dairy shop, envisioning a lifeline for her family.

Her shop flourished and Bassam will find solace in being able to contribute as much as possible. 

Through her microproject and the support of the program, Fania not only sustained her family's livelihood, but also inspired others with her resilience in the face of hardships.

Elias Al-Ghabra is one of the minorities who are still interested in preserving the family profession as he began working in the field of manufacturing convection ovens with his father at a young age in a rental workshop in Jaramana and continued in the filed alongside his study.

The main field of work is manufacturing thermal ovens based on gas after the electric ovens stopped being demanded due to the terrible electricity situation in the country, their work increased and they also started to receive ovens maintenance orders. 

In 2010 Elias was called for military service and the war began shortly after he joined, so he was transferred to serve in Al-Hasakah Governorate until 2019, during which he went through difficult circumstances and faced many dangers. However, on his vacations, he used to return home and help his father in the workshop.

However, as a result of the significant increase in prices in addition to his mother’s battle with cancer and her treatment in Al-Biruni Hospital, their business deteriorated and the expenses became higher than the income forcing them to sell some of the equipment to cover the mother’s treatment expenses.

After Elias was discharged from service in 2019, he returned to work with his father, but the remaining equipment and materials were not enough to strengthen the work and have a proper income to cover the living expenses.

With the help of Hope Center, Elias was supported to purchase new machines to enable this intrepid young man to expand his work which will positively impact his living circumstances and help preserve the family's profession.

Alaa is a talented young man in his twenties, he lives with his parents and sister in Jaramana after being displaced from their home in Harasta due to the armed conflict in the area at the beginning of the Syrian crisis.

Alaa was always passionate about photography so he trained at a young age at a Clacket studio to learn more about this career, then he got employed at the communication department at SSSD as a photographer until 2018 trying to find better income to match the increasing costs of living.

Soon after, he started working at an event planning office as a photographer and videographer, but at the same time he was dreaming of having his own equipment that would enable him to establish private work and develop his career.

With the help of Hope Center, Alaa was supported to purchase a camera which was a dream coming true for him as he is able now to have his own photography session, and at the same time add his own signature which will empower his name in the field and open the chance of developing his work and improving his living conditions.

In the heart of a bustling area nestled a home where dreams brewed and aspirations soared. Dhyaa Al-Btros, his wife, and his family members lived within its walls, each floor holds a part of his close-knit family.

Since 2004, he delved into the field of confectionery, honing his skills by working at various pastry shops. In 2008 he was called for military service until 2010. Upon discharge, he returned to his roots in Khabab, opening a pastry shop until 2014 when adversity struck, so he relocated his shop to the Al-Dukhanieh area in Damascus, but the situation wasn't any better there as violent incidents and armed conflict took place in the area which resulted in the loss of his shop.

Undeterred, he adopted a novel approach, distributing goods via electric bicycles until 2019 when he was called again for the reserve service for three years before resuming the distribution of goods and biscuits, using his brother's electric bicycle.

Presently, Dhyaa toils in the morning as a warehouse worker, and by dusk, continues his work on a bicycle, aspiring to have a pick-up truck for efficient distribution, which would improve his income and release him from the hard morning work. 

considering this tapestry of trials and challenges, Dhyaa was supported by the Micro project program to purchase his own pick-up truck hoping to empower his unwavering spirit in the face of adversity, improve his living conditions, and preserve his dignity.

Meneam Salloum's life was marked by hardships but with his strong determination he was able to rise above all the challenges he faced.

he is living in Al-Abbasein with his retired father and two brothers, and together they faced numerous setbacks from losing his mother to grappling with unstable security conditions during the crisis, but he never let circumstances define him. 

Before the war started, he was working at his own shoe-making workshop in Jobar, but after few months of the war, the area was subjected to numerous incidents and his workshop was burgled making him lose everything he worked for in the previous years.

unfortunately, when Meneam decided to move his work to his living area in Al-Abbasein, he was sniped in the flank which put him in bed for several months until he recovered.

after that incident, Meneam decided to quit his profession and started working at cars office and then as a taxi driver, and later becoming a salesperson at shoes store, trying his best to afford the livelihood demands for his family and preserve their dignity.

Despite all financial strains that Meneam and his family faced, Yet he refused to succumb to despair, so he applied for the pick-up project at the Micro Project center.

Receiving funding for his project marked a new chapter—one filled with possibilities. It wasn't merely about starting a business; it symbolized resilience, hope, and the triumph of the human strong will over calamities.

Rafy Al-Sahwy, born in 1982 and residing in Al-Dwalaa, faced numerous challenges in life. With his parents deceased and siblings married, he lived with his brother, striving to make ends meet. His journey through different jobs—from being a taxi driver to a private chauffeur and later distributing charcoal by bicycle—reflects his resilience amidst hardships.

The war and his father's illness forced Rafy to abandon his farming work at the village and return to live with his family in Damascus. Despite various setbacks, he ventured into charcoal distribution, utilizing a meager capital. However, soaring prices abruptly halted his work, leaving him with loss.

For Rafy, the taxi project he applied for, symbolized hope and stability in turbulent times, and having support to purchase his own taxi potentially rescued him from the brink of financial ruin.

It wasn't merely about financial gains for him; it was about reclaiming control over his life and promising a brighter tomorrow.

Jean Baghdady, born in 1997, lives with his family in Jaramana. His father, Antoun, works diligently as a maintenance worker at Saint Paul Monastery trying to put food on the table at the end of the day.

Jean's journey through work has been diverse; from volunteering at the UN in 2017 to becoming a photographer's assistant from 2018 until the present day, he has explored various professional avenues. Additionally, he has been employed as a receptionist at Alberto Monastery since 2021. Despite his workload, Jean managed to pursue accounting and marketing courses in 2019.

He commenced his career as a photographer in 2019, honing his skills and preparing to be an independent photographer full of ambitions to start his business alongside collaborating with other professionals, trying to gain as much experience as possible.

While their household and furnishings are modest, Jean's family supports him as he navigates his career path. Receiving support from Hope Center, marks a turning point for Jean, offering him the opportunity to expand his own business, enhance his skills, and elevate his income.

For Jean, this support isn't just financial aid—it's his life dream, propelling him towards independence and self-improvement to secure a better future for himself and his family.

A talented and determined man is the least that can be said to describe Samwel Skeif. He is in his fifties yet, he still has the will and strength to keep learning and investing in himself. He started at a very young age to support his parents with living demands and so he worked as a tailor assistant, but he was clever and skilled enough to learn the profession and start his own sewing workshop which he ran for years until the conditions worsened; his job was affected badly forcing him to sell the machines in order to afford his family’s living expenses then he started to work in drawing and manufacturing sewing templates for different factories. 

Learning has always been a passion for Samwel, and even though he couldn’t finish his schooling education, he didn’t hesitate to enroll in several life skills courses such as fashion design training - TOT courses - speed reading courses - body language courses - and neuro programming.

Samwel got hired as a trainer at a development institution for design and sewing courses and he was so excited to transfer his knowledge and talents to others.

However, with the increasing costs of living, he wasn't able to provide his family with a decent living and he was thriving to have his own sewing workshop with the idea of turning part of it into a training center for sewing and designing courses.

Today, after being supported to start his own project, Samwel is so grateful to have this opportunity that will enable him to fulfill his passion for work and teaching and at the same time increase his income and improve his living conditions. 

At the age of fifteen, Eva Alshehadeh started to work at a hairdressing salon to support her family, since then, she started to learn everything related to this career including hairdressing, makeup, and nail care which gave her good experience in the field. Her father was deceased and she was the supporter of her mother and siblings so she was doing her best to afford the living demands, challenging all the difficulties of work and her health condition as she was suffering from sideropenia which caused her several symptoms and continuous feeling of tiredness.

In 2019, with the help of the church, Eva underwent Glandectomy surgery and her health condition started to improve, unlike her financial condition as the salon she was working at was closed and she found herself jobless.

Eva didn’t accept being dependent on aids especially since she became the only supporter of her mother so she started to work at customers' houses, using her old inappropriate tools, and touring from one house to another to have an income and cover the basic living needs of her family.

After applying at the Micro project center, Eva feels delighted because she was supported to establish her own makeup and nailcare center which will be the means to have an independent source of living and improve her living conditions.

Although she is still 22, Valentina was overloaded with life calamities and had to hold the responsibility of her family and her younger sisters in addition to taking care of her sick and heartbroken mother.

Valentina was living in safety and security with her family while her mother and father were doing their best to provide the best living circumstances for their girls. 

In 2013, this reality changed into a nightmare as their father was a victim of snipping while he was driving his car to work and the criminals took his body and the car. His family didn’t just have to handle his death news but also they had to pay an amount of money to have his body and do a decent funeral for him.

After that incident, the mother’s health deteriorated so she quit her job to take care of her daughters while Valentina started to work during her study time to support her family.

She started doing makeup and nail care for her relatives and friends then in 2018 she enrolled in several courses to enhance her skills then she started to work in different beauty salons trying her best to afford the livelihood of her family.

With time passing, Valentina discovered that her work was so tiring, and with no proper income, she quit and started to work for a percentage of profits waiting for a chance to have her project.

With great faith, Valentina applied at the micro-project center for support and despite her young age, this strong-willed lady was supported with all the tools and materials necessary to start her project because after all those hard years she deserved to be independent and have a decent source of income to help her family.

With more than 40 years of experience, Riadh Al-zawahra, a loving husband and father of two daughters Nour and Niveen, was still working as a tailor at a sewing workshop in Jaramana.

He started to learn the career at the age of ten, the same age he started to work and support his family then when he became experienced enough, he implemented all the steps of sewing and many workshops dealt with him.

During his life, Riahd was able to establish a lovely family and support his daughters to finish their education and work but due to the difficult years of war and the deteriorating economic condition, he wasn’t able to establish his own workshop.

“ All i wish after those hard-working years is to settle down, be my own boss, and have the ability to increase my income”.

Riadh applied at the Micro projects center, and considering his long experience and need to improve his living conditions, his request was approved as he got the required support to establish his own sewing workshop with all hope that this project would be a turning point in his future life and will give him the independency he longed for.

Being a mother of three young kids never prevented Raheel from working and supporting her family to pass through the years of war, while still trying hard to support her husband during the deteriorating conditions.

Raheel is a determined lady who started working as a seamstress at a young age and even after she got married she kept working at her sewing workshop in Damascus, until 2014 when the security situation became critical so she moved with her family to live in Jaramana.

Despite all the dangers and the daily shelling over Jaramana, Raheel and her husband kept working together to secure the best living for their kids. Together, they started a small shop for sewing and renting dresses where she worked in designing and making the dresses and her husband supported her in dealing with customers and the finishing.

However, with time passing, the electricity condition worsened and the shop income was no longer enough to put food on the table, while her machines became too old to use for professional sewing. So her husband decided to work two jobs in order to meet the living demands but his salary was still not enough due to the high costs of living.

Now, after supporting Raheel with new sewing machines and an electricity resource, she restored the ability to increase her work and get a decent income good enough to secure her and her family with good living. 

From a very modest but close-knit family who works to live, Beshara Al-mhanna was raised to become a hardworking man who started working at a young age to support his family.

He used to work in delivering vegetables on the village-city road but during wartime, the road became insecure and he decided to move to Damascus to study and work there. Beshara was a big-sized young man and as a result, he was exempted from military service so he kept working as a driver on different vehicles delivering any order to afford his living and support his family in the village.

Beshara was good at what he did but the high car rent wasn't sufficient to cover the increasing costs of living so he applied to the Micro-project program for the pick-up truck project planning to use the truck to deliver furniture and goods.

Considering his health condition, and determination to work, Beshara was supported to have the project he sought and he is now working his best to have more orders so that he can improve his financial condition and secure his family with a decent living.