My name is Jean Youssef, I am a 43 years old man. I am married to Rania Saloum. I live with my wife and our two children; Julie is 19, and George is 12, in my mother’s house in Sulaymania. We moved in with her when we got married because she lives alone, and we don’t have enough money to rent a house. In 2018, I tried to rent an old taxi to work on in the afternoon, but the owner of the taxi asked for 100$ as a monthly rent. Later, the car started having mechanical problems as it was old, I had to fix it and it cost me a lot, so I decided to stop working on it because I was wasting my time and working for long hours, but without getting any profit. I have been working as a bus driver in the Rosary school since 2014, I like my job, but my income is very low (60$), however I am forced to do this job as it is the only field of work that I know. I want to have my own taxi to work on, this project will provide me with a better income to help me survive these harsh livelihood conditions.

My name is Jawhar Aljerouj, I live with my family of four, my wife Talin Kabanjian, and our three children Marie 14 years old, Joe 6 years old and louis 4 years old. I used to live in Sheikh Maksoud, but in 2015, we were displaced from our home, but sadly the place that we moved to also got bombed so we decided to leave to the village Kfarbo near Hama where my parents in law live, fearing for my children’s lives. In 2005, I worked in the Syrian Networking Institute and also as a supervisor at the Riga restaurant for the night shift, but as a result of my traveling to Hama I was fired from my second job in Riga. Luckily the Syrian Networking Institute accepted my transfer from Aleppo to Hama, the transportation costs were too high which made me pay almost half of what I make. This period was the hardest, we felt the instability financially and sentimentally, I worked as a taxi driver from 2009 to 2013, we were moving between rented houses because the owners were always asking for more money. After returning to Aleppo, I tried hard to find a job that I can do, and that would provide a good income, but I couldn’t. I applied to have a taxi, this will help me to improve our situation and I plan to commit full time to this work, my goal is to have a stable income considering the fact that my wife doesn’t work because she has to stay with the children and look after them.

My name is Gabriel Nasra, I am a single 22 years old, I live with my mother Nahida and my father George, my brother Sergio, he is 12 years old and my sister Antoinetta, she is 12 years old, my grandfather Jabra and my uncle George also live with us, I am the sole provider for the whole family. My father is unemployed, he was paralyzed during the war in Aleppo as a result of an injury when a missile fell on our house. During the crisis I managed to save some money and I bought an old taxi that was fine at that time. later after a couple of years of working on it, it started having mechanical problems till finally it broke down entirely and it couldn’t be fixed anymore. I started looking for a job that can provide me with an income to help my family, but I could not find one because I do not have experience in any other fields. When I heard about the Hope Center micro projects, I applied for a taxi, this project will not only help me, it will help my entire family.

My name is Mario Kisho, I am 29 years old. I live with my parents, my father Razouk is 61 years old and my mother Najwa is 56 years old. My father is the only provider for our family. He has been a tailor for 30 years and has experience in this field as he was working before the crisis in a workshop, but when the war started, the business closed, now he is working on his own in a rented workshop. The income of the workshop is only enough to cover our basic daily needs. Before the war, I worked in a dental laboratory for a short time, then I was recruited in the military service in 2010, for 8 years. I was discharged in 2018. The period of the service was very hard for me, in these 8 years, I could not improve myself or any of my skills, it felt like the time stopped. After being discharged, things were different and I was older, but with the same experience that I had 8 years ago, I tried to look for a job but with no success. During my military service I was a vehicle driver, so I have enough experience in driving, I want to have a taxi to work on because driving is the only thing that I know, and it will give me the opportunity to improve my financial status and to think about the next step for my future.

My name is Nabil Kitati, I’m 46 years old, I live in Aleppo and I am married to Rina Aghabian. We have two daughters; Janet 11 years old and Rana 10 years old, and a son Elias 5 years old. I used to work in blacksmithing in Khan AL-Asal area, in the suburbs of Aleppo, but because of the war this area became very dangerous and the factory that I used to work in closed. I was kidnapped during the war time, I had to pay a big amount of money in return of my freedom. My family and I were displaced from our home in Al-Shekh Maksoud, we rented a flat in Al-Midan area, but when the missiles started falling there, we were forced to move again. Later I worked in Arkoub area in the field of blacksmithing, but my health condition didn’t help me to continue in this business. my wife and I both try to work hard to get a steady income for the family, she works in sewing from home, she also makes handmade rosaries take care of the children and do the housework, I’m very proud of her. I applied to open a mini market, because I can no longer work in something that requires a lot of physical effort, and at the same time would provide a good income for our big family.

My name is Antoine, I am married to Roula Babakian and we have a son, his name is Elia, he is 13 years old, and a daughter her name is Marian, she is 19 years old. both of my children are school students and my wife is unemployed. During the war time in Syria, we moved to Venezuela to escape from the dangerous situation, especially that we have two young children, travelling there was not easy because we did not have money, so we put our house on rent. I worked in a clothes shop in Venezuela, but my income in there was not even enough to provide the daily needs, so when the situation got better in Aleppo, we decided to come back. We couldn’t even afford the plane ticket to return, so I borrowed some cash from a friend and came back with my family to Syria. Now I am working as a driver for the church, but my income is not enough to cover the expenses of life in these hard times. I want a mini pick up truck to work on, this will help in improving our life.

My name is Iskandar, I am a 45 years old man. My wife is Rasha Akkad who is 31 years old, we have a newborn baby named Michel. I am an electrician, and I used to work with my brothers in our workshop, but in the war years they left the country, and I continued working in this field. Unfortunately, one day the workshop was burnt by an electrical fault, this incident destroyed all the equipment that I had, and my hopes were destroyed as well. I returned back to my workshop, repaired what I could, and started working again, but with very simple equipment. Which was a major problem for me, as sometimes the work would require more tools than the one I have now. I applied at Hope Center for new tools and equipment, this project will be a great chance to help me get back on my feet again, and restore the hope of a better life for this family.

I am Salwa kaede, happily married to Pedros Ewaz and we have two children, Mary is 22 years old and Adel is 30 years old who has been serving in the military service for the last 6 years. My husband used to work for a pharmaceutical company which closed during the war and thus he became unemployed. I have been working as a hairdresser for more than 10 years, before the crisis I had my own salon, but unfortunately, I got sick with a virus and had to pay for my treatment with all the savings I had, it was a very hard time for me Later I worked in another salon, but when the crisis started the manager left to Lebanon and left the shop for me to work in, after a while the owner of the shop asked for an extra amount of money as a rent for the shop, so I had to move out. I lost most of my customers because I had to close the salon and work at home, which is not practical at all. This project will give me the chance to do the job that I love and will also give me the ability to provide my family in a better way.

My name is Samir Jerji, 52 years old and married to Reema Hatem, we have two children, Joelle and Aziz. I was a millionaire in the past, before the war I lived for twenty years in Dubai with my wife, then we decided to come back to Aleppo, and start an investment project in partnership with my brothers, which is a big facility that includes a restaurant and a swimming pool under the name of “the Golden River”, located in the suburbs of Aleppo. This project cost seven million dollars, I took a loan from the bank in addition to our savings, it was a great success and the people loved it very much. It was full of the families who would come to enjoy their time, and the laughs of the happy children. Unfortunately, after the opening of the facility for eight months, the war started and reached Aleppo, we couldn’t pay the loan payments for the bank anymore and we lost everything. All of our properties were restricted by the bank, we lost our source of income and we had nothing left. We were living on the church aids, my brother and I started selling vegetables on the streets. I worked in electrical devices repairing in the past and I have good experience in it, that’s why I applied for this project to open a shop for electrical maintenance hoping for a new start and a push towards a better life for me and my family after all the hardships we went through.

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.