Leon, like many Syrians, experienced drastic changes in his life due to the war. It took a toll on him when he found himself in a difficult situation, having to sell his lathing machine in 2014 to protect it from being stolen. This machine held immense value for Leon, as it represented 23 years of experience and dedication to his craft.

To provide for his family, Leon resorted to renting a lathing machine. Unfortunately, as time went on, the cost of the rent became increasingly high. Leon had hoped to save money and increase his income, but the relentless inflation posed a challenge. To make matters worse, the owner of the machine continuously raised the rent price, making it even more challenging for Leon to bear this heavy burden.

Living a decent life and supporting his family became an ongoing struggle for Leon. Eventually, he reached a breaking point; His ultimate goal was to have the freedom of owning his own machine. Levon applied for micro-projects, and to his delight, his application was approved. Leon felt very grateful and was ready to embark on a new chapter in his life, free from the burden of paying rent and now he is able to secure a better living for his family.

Silvy is well known for her positive attitude and her famous sandwiches. Greeting her customers with a smile, Silvy works at her fast food shop and as a part-time school teacher. 

After a while, she retired from her teaching job to focus solely on her fast-food business. With 11 years of experience, Silvy gained recognition in the Aziziye neighborhood. However, despite her hard work, Silvy and her two co-workers felt devastated upon seeing their effort result in low income, especially as their equipment began to wear out and needed replacement. 

In order to increase her income, Silvy wanted to add new recipes to her menu, which required an additional fryer. Alongside fees, rent, and electricity bills, Silvy and her co-workers found themselves on the brink of closing their business. 

Silvy applied for micro-projects and received the support she needed. Now, with new recipes and increased customers, Silvy is set to boost her income. She and her female co-workers exemplify empowered women who work hard to provide for themselves and their community.

Shadi, a hardworking and devoted 28-year-old, found himself facing daily struggles after his father's heart disease. He became the sole caregiver for his parents, Shadi had to make sacrifices, eventually dropping out of university to provide for his family. His sister had moved abroad to Germany, leaving him as the only child to tend to their parents' needs.

Despite the challenges, Shadi always had a passion for fixing things. He honed his skills and managed to rent a small shop for mobile maintenance, which provided a decent income for his family. However, this business was disrupted when he was asked to pay a fee of a staggering two and a half million Syrian pounds, forcing him to shut down the business. With no other option, Shadi had to work for someone else's shop, earning only 40% of the total income. This drastic change left him feeling constrained and financially strained, as his repairing equipment became overused and outdated, in desperate need of replacement.

After experiencing disappointment, by an attempt to find a way out, Shadi studied the area in which he was currently working, identifying a service that was lacking in the region which is, mobile screen maintenance. Determined to improve his financial situation, he made the decision to expand his work and apply his project to Hope Center. Thanks to micro-project support, Shadi overcame his hesitation and acquired new equipment; this enables him to provide a unique service in the region by repairing phone screens, which will help him increase his income and provide better care for his parents.

From a young age Soubhi has been passionate about making sweets and pastries. He pursued culinary and hotel studies at university, but financial strains forced him to drop out and enter the workforce.

As the sole provider for his family, he took on various jobs to make ends meet, especially after his mother was diagnosed with osteoporosis, requiring costly medication and care. Despite these challenges, Soubhi remained determined to achieve independence and open his own sweet shop to improve his family's financial situation. 

Being employed at a sweet-making shop with an insufficient monthly income, eventually Soubhi planned his project and applied for micro-projects, which ultimately granted him the opportunity to pursue his dream, providing a new start and increased income for this passionate chef.

Malek's life purpose has always been to help people and aid the patients in their recovering journey. Born in al-Hasaka,where he spent his early years, surrounded by his loved ones and lovely days filled with warmth and laughter. Unfortunately, when the war broke out in 2011, Malek and his family had to leave immediately and settle in Aleppo, as there was no option to return. 

Despite facing numerous challenges in his new life in Aleppo, Malek managed to graduate as a pharmacist in 2016. After that he took on various jobs, all while working towards his ultimate goal of opening his own pharmacy.

Unfortunately, the cost was too high for him to afford. However, Malek's sister, who lives abroad, offered to provide financial assistance to help him start his pharmacy. As the days went by, prices continued to skyrocket, making Malek's dream seem further and more unattainable. He used all his savings to do minimal renovations, and install shelves but his finances were still not enough to stock the pharmacy with the necessary medications.

Then, on one fateful day, Malek saw a poster for micro-projects and immediately applied. He is incredibly grateful for the opportunity as it allowed him put his years of studying to good use, and help heal the people which is his purpose in life.

Dr. Antoin experienced his share of war calamities, just like every other Syrian, After a decade of dedicated work as a dentist, in 2012 his clinic was looted, leaving him without a job for two years. To add to the hardship, his wife, a pharmacist, also lost her job at an insurance company. The challenges seemed never-ending for Antoin and his family.

In 2014, Antoin teamed up with a colleague to rent a dental clinic, working hard to purchase all the necessary equipment. However, when his colleague left the country, Antoin had to take matters into his own hands. In addition to that, his equipment had issues due to being outdated, which posed a major challenge with prices soaring. 

Antoin had to take action before his equipment became obsolete. He applied for a Micro Projects, and to his relief, he was accepted. Now, with the new dental clinic equipment, he can increase his income and provide for his two beautiful daughters.

Wael comes from the small village of Kfarbo, where life was easy and peaceful until the dark days descended upon Syria and Wael was called to serve in the military. He fought through a complete nightmare of injuries, sieges, and frontline battles for nine years. Thankfully, the year 2019 marked the end of Wael's suffering. Miraculously, Wael returned home safe and sound, only to find himself needing to rebuild his life from scratch as he moved from the village to the city of Aleppo, with no place to stay and no clear profession to pursue.

Fortunately, Wael found shelter in his aunt's house. Before joining the military, Wael had experience in iron smithing, which he had learned from his uncle. He honed his skills while working for someone else, but he always longed for independence. Wael struggled because prices made it nearly impossible for him to establish his own business

However, learning about the Hope Center and its aid for youth after military service brought Wael newfound hope. He planned his project and applied for assistance from micro projects. Now, Wael feels confident as he prepares to rent a workshop and start working independently to provide for himself and begin a new chapter in life.

Elias is a hardworking father and the sole breadwinner for his family of three. While serving in the military, Elias faced a long battle with hepatitis, which led to him being exempted from his service. He began the treatment, which cost a lot, forcing him to sell everything he had to cover the expenses. The price of a single medication was a staggering 350 USD. Fortunately, after completing the treatment, he made a full recovery and regained his health.

Elias took on various jobs to make ends meet, starting as a computer technician and programmer in 2021. However, due to the low income, he transitioned to working in solar panel installation, collaborating with partners as he didn't have the necessary equipment to start his own business. After renting his own workplace, Elias struggled to purchase the required equipment and had to borrow from others to complete installations for customers.

Realizing that he couldn't sustain this way of working with a family to provide for and rent to pay, Elias sought opportunities to increase his income. Upon hearing from a friend about micro projects, he applied and was accepted. Through a saving strategy, Elias plans to secure a 60% increase in income. He made plans to establish his workshop in a room within his house, saving money on workshop rent and further increasing his income. 

Now, with his equipment ready, Elias will be able to start anew with the ability to increase his income and provide for his family.

George has experienced many ups and downs in his career, despite having 35 years of experience as a car suspension and steering mechanic; Unfortunately, during the war, George's workshop was stolen, along with all his equipment. To make matters worse, he was kidnapped and then released after a week. These traumatic events took a toll on him. 

Seeking a safer environment, George and his family fled to Latakia, which was more secure than Aleppo. Without a house or income in a new city and with children to feed, he couldn't simply sit idly by. As the sole breadwinner for his family, he had to take action.

Despite trying his luck with a job opportunity in Lebanon, things didn't work out there, Eventually, George, along with his wife and two children, returned to Aleppo in search of stability and a better life. Every day presented a challenge as he struggled to put food on the table, pay rent, and provide for his children. With limited resources, he rented a small workshop and started working with only a few modest pieces of equipment. However, his income proved insufficient for a family of four.

Determined to improve his situation, George applied for micro-projects and received support that enabled him to purchase new equipment, which allowed him to increase his income. It was a chance for George to revive his profession and regain the tools that had been stolen from him. Now, he can provide for his family without the burden of financial strain, thanks to Hope Center.

Ohans is a skilled car electrician who established his workshop in 2010. However, his newly established workshop didn't last long due to the Syrian war. The workshop was unfortunately located in an unsafe area and suffered significant damage, leaving Ohans with no choice but to sell his house, workshop, and all his belongings in order to survive. He then made the difficult decision to relocate to Lebanon in search of better opportunities.

Unfortunately, Ohans faced numerous challenges in Lebanon and struggled to find stable employment. Eventually, Ohans returned home with nothing and now resides in his friend's house.  

Adding to his hardships, Ohans also battles with health issues, including heart and gland diseases. However,  He believes that as long as God is with him and his faith is strong, he will not give up. 

Thanks to Micro Projects, Ohans received new equipment for his workshop, allowing him to revive the job he lost during the war and restore everything that was taken from him. 

George, a 36 year-old passionate tailor, found himself facing numerous challenges in his pursuit of his craft. Initially, his former boss lent him sewing machines for a short period of time, allowing him to continue his work. However, despite his relentless efforts to secure financial assistance, he was unable to achieve independence.

George's friend offered to provide him with the money needed to purchase his own sewing machines. Grateful for the opportunity, George worked tirelessly for four years, hoping to repay his debt to his friend. Unfortunately, his financial situation remained dire, and he found himself unable to fulfill his obligations.

Tragedy struck when George's mother passed away, further exacerbating the difficulties he faced. Despite his best efforts, he struggled to pay the rent for his shop and was forced to sell a newly acquired tailoring machine to cover the expenses associated with his mother's passing. With each passing day, George's financial burdens seemed to multiply.

Thanks to the support of the Hope Center, George no longer had to rely on borrowing money or face difficulties alone. Hope center provided him with the helping hand he desperately needed, alleviating his financial strain and offering him a renewed hope.

Lilian Katerji began her career early, studying prosthodontics in university, but soon realized it wasn't her passion.

 Feeling trapped in a job that didn't align with her interests, she longed for a shift in her career. Lilian had always had a sweet tooth and discovered her talent for baking sweets, a skill she had learned from her aunt in Latakia. 

Finding joy in making sweets and bringing happiness to others, she decided to turn her talent into a source of income by starting her own small business working from home. As demand grew, she sought ways to expand but faced financial challenges. 

After applying for a project at the Hope Center, she was delighted to be accepted. With a strong belief in her ability to increase her income while pursuing her beloved passion, she is determined to continue on this journey of baking and spreading happiness.