Micro-Projects is a livelihood-support program which helps family providers who had either lost their livelihood during the war, or aspire to be a productive and financially independent part of the community by starting their own income generating business. By financing their micro-projects, Christian Hope Center is helping Christian families to have a sustainable source of income, through the provision of equipment, machinery and tools. This will eventually mitigate the economic harm caused by increasing poverty and insecurity, preserve their dignity, and alleviate the calamities of war and the economic crisis, which will ultimately preserve the existence of an active Christian community in Syria. In addition to the Micro-Projects supported in Cities of Aleppo, Homs and Damascus, the program also supports families who rely on agriculture as their principal source of income in rural Homs.


679

Aleppo

650

Homs

266

Damascus

Laboratory


Norma Al-Qassam is married and has a son and a daughter, they live in Sulaymaniyah; she works in her own laboratory and her husband, who is a retired agricultural engineer often helps her in his free time she also works in a hospital, from 2004-2010 she worked in the governorate of Hama.

She used to have the main equipment but, in her domain, where the technology is innovating so fast, she has to keep up, but her financial situation abstract her...


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Laser cutting machine


Rami lives in a rented house with his wife, his son and his mother. Shortly before the earthquake, the family has returned to Aleppo, but after the earthquake his wife and his child returned to Homs and stayed there.

Rami’s military service was located in Homs as a nurse and lasted more than 8 years, during the same period he was working on a laser machine and learned the profession there. He was discharged in 2016. After the demobilization he decided...


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Nail Care Kit


Nadia lives in a borrowed house in Al-Midan area, with her two sons, and her husband’s family, as they are displaced from Homs. 

During the war and for six years, they traveled to Mashta Al-Helou and used to live in a relative's house there. Also, after the earthquake, they traveled there for a month. Previously, her husband used to work as a van driver for a private transport company, and after replacing the vans with buses, he became unemployed. Currently, he works...


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Taxi


Kevork is 32, married with a kid and his mother also lives with them in his rented house, he is the breadwinner of the family. He currently works as a salesman in an auto parts store. He was recently laid off on 1-1-2022. His service required driving.

His profession before the military was a women’s hairdresser, but because of the military service, which lasted nearly for 12 years and the development of the work in his absence made it difficult for...


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Photography


Melkon lives with his wife and his daughter, he is the only breadwinner in the family; he has a photography studio in Al-Midan.

During the war period, the studio was severely damaged by shells. A humanitarian community helped him for restoration. His car was also hit twice by shells, the first time he repaired it but unfortunately the second time it was destroyed. 

Melkon had an old camera but wasn't sufficient and was forced to rent a high quality one from others.

The...


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Sewing Workshop


"I’ve been through a lot and restarted from scratch several times because life has to go on and one has to adapt with every situation that comes along”

Yousef is 61 years old, living with his wife, their son and daughter in a small apartment, his son has been in military service for more than 8 years, he helps his father during his vacations.

Yousef works part-time in a sewing workshop which has been his profession from young age, but during a period...


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Snack and Sandwich shop


Salloum’s faith in a bright future along with his confidence are the qualities he believes will lead him to success.

Salloum lives with his parents and sister in their modest apartment, at his early twenties that came across with the beginning of the worst years of the war that has hit the city of Aleppo, his family’s financial difficulties led him to leave his hometown, he took a (food safety and entrepreneurship) courses and he moved to Lebanon to support his...


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Car Brakes Lathe Machine


The skills and experience you gain from traveling abroad can give you life-long personal benefits as well as an advantage in the professional world.

Garabet,68-year-old man, father of two daughters, traveled to Canada in 1986 for more than 7 years where he worked in the same field on the brake lathing machine and then returned to Aleppo after gaining great experience.

He said: “travelling abroad is an amazing way to learn a lot of new things”. Before the war, he had his...


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Blacksmith Workshop


Youssef lives with his wife, parents and sister in his family's house. After marriage he was planning to live in a borrowed house and he had started to renovate, but during the war the house was damaged. Then they traveled to Lebanon for three years but he didn’t succeed there so he came back to his country.

During his time in Lebanon, he worked as a blacksmith in a company, after which he worked for two years in maintaining air conditioners,...


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Plumbing Equipment


Harout is 41 years old and a father of two daughters and a son, living in a rented house, his first job was in his father's shoe workshop, then they sold it to cover living expenses. Afterwards he started working as a plumber in a monastery and learned the profession there. 

In 2010 he traveled to Lebanon and continued in the same profession.
At the end of 2011 the family returned to Aleppo and bought a house, unfortunately after nearly just one...


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Taxi


Mikhaiel is a newly married man who recently moved to a rental apartment subsequent to living in his parent’s house since his financial situation was unstable.

Mikhaiel started his career back in his early twenties when he rented his friend’s taxi and worked as an uber driver but this didn’t last long because he got called for military service in 2007 for two years and then he worked in a sewing workshop approximately for 8 years. 

In 2017 he got injured by...


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Carpentry Equipment


Ghassan 55 years old has been working as a carpenter for more than 40 years, he learned this profession and worked in many workshops for more than twenty years, then he decided to become independent and work separately between homes and workshops upon request.

Today, Ghassan is the father of two sons who live in his grandmother’s house, after the loss of their own home, which he bought in 2012. As a result, the family moved to the city of Homs...


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Olive Land


Bassam, a farmer from Qattinah village, faced adversity when his irrigation equipment was stolen in 2014 amidst the chaos of war. Living with his wife Nada and their three children, Bassam, a government employee, sought additional income from the family's shared land, a lifeline for five households.

The land, cultivated with olives, grapes, and vegetables, relied on a crucial water well and pond for irrigation. The theft of his equipment jeopardized not only his family's livelihood but also that of his...


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Taxi


Shadi dutifully served his mandatory military service from 2012 to 2021, a period that took away nine precious years of his life. But the scars ran deeper than time. In 2013, during his service, he fell victim to an armed group's kidnapping, causing a terrifying year of captivity. To secure his release, his family borrowed money, a debt they were still repaying today. The day he was freed from captivity felt like a rebirth, and his heart was full with...


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Mobile Phones Maintenance


Rami, a single man, who lives with his mother, brother, sister-in-law, and their children; Rami and his brother strive to support the entire family.

Since 2017, he has been running a mobile phone shop, but a near bomb incident shattered its front glass. Unable to afford a replacement, he covered it with a nylon sheet. 

Previously working in maintenance for two years, Rami faced setbacks when his equipment broke, preventing him from accepting job offers. Economic hardships encouraged him to attempt a...


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Souvenirs and Printing Shop


Akram, a resilient young man, found himself displaced from his home in Bab Al-Sebaa due to the brutal war. Alongside his parents, they navigated through several neighborhoods in Homs before finally settling in Al-Hamidia, renting a new home. In 2019, Akram ventured into the world of printing, advertising, and promotion, learning essential skills from YouTube and honing them through practical experience.

By 2022, he relocated his project to a vibrant neighborhood near the university, expanding its services to include college requirements,...


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Rehabilitation of Almond Land


Simon faced numerous challenges as a farmer in Al-Maamoura village. As the sole provider for his wife, two children, and elderly parents living with them, he struggled to make ends meet. His almond and olive land needed rehabilitation, but he lacked the necessary financial ability to prepare the soil and plant new seedlings. Determined to improve his family's circumstances, Simon took on additional jobs as an employee and worked at a food shop in the evenings to generate extra income.

Realizing...


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Olive and Vegetables Land


Wael, a devoted husband and son, lives in Qattinah village with his wife, elderly father, and brother with down syndrome. 

He works tirelessly as a farmer and also runs a mini-market where his wife assists him. Their livelihood depends on the olive and vegetable crops from their land, but poor electricity hampers their irrigation efforts. 

To overcome this obstacle, Wael applied for the Micro Projects Program and received a mini-cultivator, which has significantly reduced costs and improved production, in addition to an electric generator so that his water pump operates efficiently ensuring better watering for his crops, bringing prosperity to his beloved family.

Wheat Seeds & Water Pump


In Al-Dwair village, a family of four lived together happily and didn’t know the meaning of loss until the cruel war began. The parents and their two sons lived on the bounties of their farmland and everything was going well. 

Today, George, the youngest son became his mother's only family after their life was turned upside down; his older brother Elias was kidnapped and since that day, unfortunately, no one heard from him! Their house was destroyed and they were displaced...


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Mini Pickup Truck


Mttanos and Ranim, who got married in 2015, built their life together in Fairouza village. With two children, they settled in a rented house, far from the harrowing memories of Al-Qusayr, Mttanos' hometown, which had witnessed the horrors of war.

In 2011, he was called upon for nine years of mandatory military service, leaving his parents behind in Al-Qusayr. Their family's livelihood depended on their land, and their house was severely affected by the war.

When he was discharged in 2020, he...


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Motorcycle Repairing Workshop


Living in Fairouza village with his wife Rita and their son Mikhail, Ibrahim has always been the provider for his family. However, his life took many turns before he found his passion in motorcycle repairing. 

After trying his skills in various professions, from restaurants to construction, his health issues forced him to seek a change. In 2012, he ventured to Lebanon in search of better opportunities, only to return in 2016 due to life's challenges there. It was then that he...


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Mini-Market


In 2008, Thanaa's world was shattered when her beloved husband surrendered to cancer after a two-year battle. Yet, this was only the beginning of her struggle. When the war started in her hometown of Homs, her family faced great suffering. Their home in Bustan Al-Diwan neighborhood was not only stolen but also burned. The heartache intensified as her son was martyred, and it took two and a half months for his body to be returned to the family. All this...


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Chicken Shop


Louay's life took an unexpected turn when a work-related injury ended his 20-year career in floor grinding and polishing. In 2020, he had to sell his equipment and started a small shop, selling frozen chicken, olives, pickles, and barbecue essentials. This was his new source of livelihood for his wife, three children, and his mother.

But adversity struck again when his shop's freezer broke down a year ago, and financial constraints prevented him from purchasing a new one. The electricity shortages...


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Maintenance of Agricultural Machinery


Bishara, the sole provider for his wife and three children in Fairouza village, faced daunting challenges when he moved from Al-Aalyat. He sold a part of his land in 2022 to start a new life in Fairouza, but encountered a severe water crisis due to post-war conditions in Homs and its villages. The water grid deteriorated, and strict rationing was applied, forcing families to purchase water for daily needs.

Despite his job as a government employee, Bishara's income fell short of...


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Kindergarten


Raising children and taking care of them has always been Ruba’s passion and to fulfill this passion she studied at the faculty of education and then enrolled in several educational courses to help her specialize more in this field and started working as a teacher in Yabrud area in the countryside of Damascus. However, after the start of the war in Syria, the area of Yabrud became under threat, forcing Ruba and her family to move to the city of...


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Taxi


Ayham Almhanna is from Daraa governorate in south Syria, he used to live there with his parents and siblings and was raised to be a self-dependent and hardworking man who started supporting himself and his family from a young age.

Like many of his age, Ayham had to serve in the military service for more than nine years during the Syrian crisis where he had to encounter several dangers in Aleppo and Damascus in addition to experiencing great fear when his...


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Mini-Van


Success isn’t always about greatness, most of the time, it is about strong will and hard work.

Like the case of Fares Al-Sbeih who is 29, single, and lives with his family at his uncle’s house in Damascus.

Fares was one of many who became adults during a critical time in Syria, a time of war, destruction, and fear but he didn’t accept to let despair sneak into his heart.

On the contrary, he started working at a young age to handle his...


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Taxi


For most of his life, Simon had to count on himself to encounter the great responsibilities he was holding as his parents’ health was unwell and he was the breadwinner of the house and the supporter for his four sisters.

As a result, he traveled to Libya at a young age and worked as a goldsmith for about four years, then he had to return to Syria because his father had to undergo Heart surgery and he had to look after...


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Sewing Workshop


“It's really unfortunate when you have everything you dream about to wake up the next day and find it's all gone.

We were living in Alzabadani town in prosperity as we owned land planted with walnut trees, a villa with a swimming pool, a carpentry workshop, and a wood warehouse.

My husband was a carpenter and our financial situation was very good, but all of that disappeared overnight and we found ourselves fleeing under bombing and sniping, with only our clothes on,...


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Pick-up Car


"I feel like I am living as an extra number in this cruel world", it was with great sadness and despair that Hassan said these words.

He is a 31-year-old single man who lives with his mother and brother in an old house in Jaramana. Hassan worked any available job to afford the daily food for his family as his father had passed away leaving him to be responsible for his mother and younger brother.

During the first years of the war,...


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Makeup Kit


Caroline Akkawi is a self-made girl who chose to rely on herself rather than being dependent on others. She is 27 and lives with her parents and her brother Antoun at their grandfather’s house in the Al-Dwalaa neighborhood while her second brother, Basil, is still at the military service in Qatana area, Damascus countryside.

Since her childhood, the financial situation of her family was critical, but she never complained and always thanked God for the blessings in her life, especially since...


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Rock Carving


Ibrahim could never have imagined the way his life turned out. From being a rock carver for four years, he transitioned into a soldier after he received the call to go into military service for five years.

Serving in the army had been a particularly challenging period of his life, but he had persevered through it.

During his service, he received the sad news that the war had hit their town of Maalola, his family had to move to Damascus till the...


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Taxi


War calamities were tough on everyone, especially those who are still suffering from its impact till now like the case of Mikhael Kousa who was exposed to a shell explosion during his service in Jobar, his entire body was penetrated by the shell’s shrapnel which put him in critical condition as he had to undergo several medical surgeries to survive, but he didn't recover completely which prevented him from living normally or working.

However, when Mikhael was discharged from the service,...


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Pickup Car


Bassem Al-Mousa is 31 unmarried young man who used to live with his family in their small village. His father was blind and unable to work due to his condition, while his two siblings suffered from Joint Erosion and needed a lot of treatment, which forced Bassem at a young age to start working. At first, he worked at a prosthodontic laboratory then began working as a farmer cultivating the land and selling the crops trying to support his family...


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Taxi


For a thalassemia patient, Najeeb was full of energy and determination to live like any normal person.

He is 30 years old and lives in an old house in Al-Tabala neighborhood. After he graduated from the agricultural institute in 2013, he volunteered at the SSSD association as a part-time job, then in 2016, he volunteered with the Al-Safina Association for People with Special Needs at the paper recycling center, he also worked as a painting worker at the weekends trying his...


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Mini-Van


George Bershan was one of the people who lost a lot during the war in Syria; not only his home and his job, but he also lost members of his family, which left him broken-hearted and sad.

George is 31, he used to live in a small village in the countryside of Aleppo and worked as an assistant bus driver on the international road. After the start of the war, their village was besieged by armed groups who started to spread...


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