Maria's life took an unexpected turn after her divorce; with a 4-year-old daughter, she found herself back under her parents' roof, relying on their support. Her father's sporadic work, her mother's small mini-market, her brother's contribution, that was all she had to lean on, taking care of her other brother with special needs.

Determined to provide for her little girl, she took on various jobs. From working at a mobile phones shop to discovering her passion in a beauty salon, she tirelessly pursued stability. With each course she attended, her skills blossomed, and her dream of independence grew stronger.

The thought of owning her own salon was both exciting and distant. Financial constraints seemed undefeatable until her mother mentioned the Micro Projects Program. Gathering her courage and showcasing her expertise through photos, Maria applied.

The program granted her the means to establish her salon, securing a future where she can support her daughter on her terms. With her newfound independence, Maria paints a picture of strength and determination, proving that with unwavering dedication, even the toughest obstacles can be overcome.

Amal, a resilient woman from Qattinah village, faced a daunting challenge when her husband Labib was diagnosed with cancer. As the disease took its toll, the financial burden of treatment left the family in dire straits. Amal, who had run a successful clothes shop from 2007 to 2020, was forced to sell everything to cover the mounting medical expenses. This sacrifice meant closing the business that once provided stability and comfort for her family.

With her husband unable to work and two children in university, she became the sole provider. Her courage shone as she took a job at her sister's shop to make ends meet. Despite the harsh blow to their finances, she never wavered in her commitment to her family's well-being.

Amal applied to the Micro Projects Program to open a houseware shop, her story is one of unyielding strength and responsibility, as she tirelessly works to secure a brighter future for her loved ones amidst difficult times. 

Olfat and Michel, with their two-year-old daughter, found themselves in a familiar struggle shared by many young families in Syria. Michel's income as a plumber wasn't enough to meet their growing needs, especially with a little one to care for. 

Determined to secure a better future for their daughter, Olfat took the step to support her husband.Drawing from her experience working in sales before marriage, she recognized an opportunity in their neighborhood. She applied to the Micro Projects Program and with the assistance, opened a mini-market equipped with a solar power system.

Now, their small family thrives with a sustainable source of income, the mini-market will ensure their financial stability, promising a brighter tomorrow for their precious daughter. 

Hanaa lives with her husband and daughter. For 20 years, she worked as a cook at a nursing home, preparing food with love for the elderly. After retiring, she found that their combined pensions and their daughter's salary were insufficient to make ends meet.

Determined to support her family, she decided to leverage her two decades of cooking experience; she thought of working from home, using her culinary skills to create delicious meals and drawing on her network of acquaintances for marketing.

When Hanaa heard about the Micro Projects Program, which supports experienced individuals with micro project ideas but lacking financial resources, she saw a glimmer of hope. She applied for the necessary tools to start her home-based cooking business.

The program's support transformed her efforts into a thriving business, becoming her family’s main source of livelihood. Her story showcases how a woman, despite tough circumstances, can create a new path for her family’s future.

Amal and Fahd live in Qattinah village. While Fahd works as an employee, Amal has been running a cosmetics shop since 2009. 

The shop has been their primary source of livelihood for the family. In 2018, the economic crisis hit, and soaring prices threatened Amal’s small business. Desperate to keep it afloat, she struggled to cope with the rising costs, putting their only means of income at risk. 

Determined to save her shop, she applied for support. Now, with the necessary goods provided, her shop is thriving once again, ensuring a stable living for the couple.

Thaer’s work life began in his village of Basir, where he worked the land and drove trucks for various employers, doing his best to provide for his family. This was not an easy task, as his life was marked by numerous challenges related to his children's health.  

His eldest son, Wajed, had to undergo surgery for varicose veins. The middle son, Zein, had a malignant tumor removed from his eye and requires annual check-ups. The youngest, Majed, has undergone multiple surgeries and needs ongoing special care.  

As a result, Thaer had to move with his family to Damascus to better address his children's health needs, especially Majed, whose condition required him to attend a special school.

Since moving to Damascus, Thaer has worked as a taxi driver, earning only a quarter of the daily profits while the rest went to the taxi owner. He also worked on a pick-up truck and took on electrical work, despite not being well-versed in the field, simply to make ends meet. His wife, Yara, also started working, and together they strive to provide for their children and cover the high medical expenses.

Thaer's financial and emotional burden was immense, and he often felt helpless. Determined to improve his situation, he applied for support from the Micro Projects Center, aiming to obtain his own taxi for a steady income and more stability.  

Fortunately, Thaer's request was approved, and he received support to purchase a taxi. This development has significantly improved his financial and mental state, giving him hope and a sense of relief. With this newfound stability, Thaer can now better support his family's needs and look forward to a more secure future.

Eleia Al-Khouri, 38, is married to Tareiz Zakhem, and they live with their newborn daughter, his mother, and sister in a small modest house in Jaramana. 

During wartime, Elias volunteered at the Social Defense from 2011 to 2016 in order to protect his neighborhood and worked as a driver for several employers in addition to working as a taxi driver from 2018 to 2021.

However, in 2012, his brother was serving military service in Homs when he was injured badly and suffered from paralysis in his leg as a result, making him unable to do any physical effort including work, due to this incident and after the decease of his father, Eleia became the primary provider for his mother, sister, and his family so he was doing his best to make ends meet. 

In 2021, he was employed at a detergent company as a driver alongside his war-injured brother, and both worked together in distributing products to markets but the meager salary they were taking affected their financial conditions so he started taking additional work, such as moving furniture, to provide for his family but the burden of debt and the reliance on assistance from relatives weigh heavily on him, making it difficult to secure even the basic necessities for his family. 

Despite the hardships, Eleia’s prayers were answered when the Hope Center provided him with the support needed to purchase a vehicle for distributing goods. This assistance marked a turning point in his life. For the first time, Eleia felt a sense of ownership and dignity. With renewed enthusiasm and commitment, he embarked on this new chapter, determined to improve his conditions and secure a better living for his family.

Raghad Makhoul's life had been a series of challenges, his father's absence loomed large over their modest household, while Raghad's mother, burdened by ailments, lived in the village and relied on medications to ease her pains.

Raghad has also gotten his share of war as during his military service that started in 2011, he found himself serving in the heart of chaos as Aleppo became under siege for many months. 

However, despite he survived that adversity, a fateful injury in 2014 caused his cornea irreparable damage and surgeons worked tirelessly to graft a new cornea onto his eye. It was a long and painful road to recovery, one that stretched until 2016, leaving Raghad physically and emotionally drained.

After his discharge, Raghad returned to Tartous and worked with his father in seaside restaurants but fate shocked him with another loss when his father succumbed to illness in 2022. With responsibilities weighing heavy on his shoulders, Raghad returned to Damascus, taking up any job available and trying his best to make ends meet.

Raghad found himself behind the wheel of a taxi, touring streets day and night to provide for himself and send whatever little he could spare to his mother and brother in the village, but he ended up working just to cover the high rent cost of the taxi.

With the help of Micro Project program, Raghad was supported to purchase a taxi and have stability in his income with all hope that this project will secure a decent living for himself and his family.

Amer's life took unexpected turns as he grew older and struggled to make ends meet for a family of nine; with seven children ranging from the oldest born in 2012 to the youngest born in 2021, the household expenses were solely dependent on Amer's income.

Before the war, Amer worked as a driver at a local factory, but as the conflict escalated and job opportunities dwindled, he was forced to explore alternative means of earning a livelihood. In 2012, he opened a grocery shop which became his source of income until 2021 when he was compelled to shut it down due to soaring rent prices, plunging the family into further financial distress.

Amer's wife, Georget, used to work as a cleaner at a Monastery but had to leave the job because of the responsibilities of caring for their growing family. 

Unfortunately, their situation became dire, with the family barely managing to afford one meal a day, supplemented by food donations from the local church three times a week.

Feeling the weight of his responsibilities as a husband and father, Amer sought a solution to lift his family out of poverty so he applied for the pick-up project at the Micro project center with the idea of transporting groceries and goods in addition to fulfilling delivery orders which was his only hope to provide a stable income for his family.

The approval of his project marked a turning point in Amer's life. For the first time, he felt a sense of independence and empowerment, knowing that he could now work to secure the needs of his family and was determined to improve his family's living conditions.

Rezq Allah Al-Hareth is part of a close-knit family, living in an old, modest house in Al-Dwalaa neighborhood. His family consists of his elderly mother and his sisters, Georgette and Maha. He also has a brother residing in their village and another working in Lebanon, while his father is deceased.

In 2009, Rezq Allah traveled to Lebanon to work in furniture making, splitting his time between Syria and Lebanon until 2011 when the economic situation in Lebanon forced him to return to Syria. Upon his return, the Syrian crisis began, and Rezq Allah's family suffered significant losses, including their house in the village, which was destroyed during the war forcing them all to relocate to Damascus.

In 2013, Rezq Allah began working at a second-hand furniture store, a job he held until 2016 when he was called to serve in the military. After his discharge in 2023, he had to start over from scratch, freelancing and taking any available job to support his family. The combined income of Rezq Allah and his siblings barely covered their daily expenses, making it difficult for him to achieve his dream of starting his own family.

Determined to secure a better future, Rezq Allah applied for support from the Micro Projects Center, hoping to get assistance for a taxi project. The support he received from the Hope Center provided him with the opportunity to purchase a taxi, promising a steadier and more substantial income. This new project has given Rezq Allah great hope for a stable future, allowing him to better provide for his family.