Samer fought cancer bravely after a painful battle in 2019 and resumed working in his profession as a floor tiler. He lives with his wife Ragheda who is, unfortunately, suffering from cancer too, in addition to their two sons Asaad (18 years old) and Ronny (14 years old). 

In 2012, Samer lost all of his equipment and in order to provide for his family, he started to buy used tools each time he had the chance, but they became worn out over years and negatively affected his work, however, what made things harder for him was not having an electric generator that is necessary for his work. At the same time, he couldn't afford to buy new equipment being the sole breadwinner for his family.

Samer applied for new equipment and an electric generator to improve his business productivity, which will enhance his income and allow him to ensure a better life for his family. 

A few years ago, some friends asked Reem to help them with their nails designs and that's how she discovered her special talents and gained the needed skills and her family encouraged her to follow her passion. 

At first, she offered her services at minimal prices and worked at home just to acquire experience and create relations with the ladies in her neighborhood. 

She is a married woman and a mother of three beautiful daughters; her husband Firas works as a government employee and when his salary became barely enough for their needs and the financial burdens increased day after day, Reem decided to open a shop and work to help her family.

She applied to The Micro Projects Program where she found support to continue and improve her project, and now, the hard-working woman has all she needs to run her small business and guarantee its success. 

Hassan chose to stay in the country where he grew up and lived, while his wife and children traveled abroad seeking a better future.

Hassan is a barber who started his career as a barber back in 1990 and he managed to ensure his wife and their three children a dignified life through it until the cruel war started. He went to Lebanon and worked there for ten years then returned when the deteriorating economic situation affected all aspects of life. 

His house was severely damaged and he spent all the money he saved during years of hard work in order to repair it and settle down. Hassan's shop lacked some new tools and a battery to improve the lighting condition, which is essential in such a profession.

Supporting his shop with all the requirements made a positive change and lit a new hope inside the darkness that the war has left behind. 

"I have lost nine years and a half of my life in the army!" Bassam said, sharing his experience during the cruel war.

He was called for mandatory service back in 2011 and when he was discharged, he found himself responsible for a family of four, since his father passed away while Bassam was absent, and his only brother had an accident that affected his ability to walk, and he is now working in a vegetable shop. 

Today, Bassam lives with his mother, sister, and brother in Fairouza village and he works in construction because he didn’t have the chance to have a former job before the military service. 

This work didn’t ensure a sufficient income and Bassam started to think of another source of livelihood, which is suitable for his condition and enough to cover his family's essential needs. The mini-winch was his choice due to his work in the construction field and the good relations he created with many craftsmen. 

This support will guarantee an independent business and better income for this family. 

Johnny is a young man who runs his own workshop of Electronic Devices Maintenance with a great reputation and special skills that enabled him to be a strong competitor among the other craftsmen. 

He studied at the electrical institute for one year, and at the same time, he was learning maintenance, by working for workshops, until he obtained the needed experience, so he bought some equipment and started his project back in 2021. 

He lives with his parents in Fairouza village; his father works as a government employee and Johnny's income is considered the family's main source of livelihood. 

The situation of electricity was getting worse and one hour of electricity per day was not sufficient, especially for Johnny's profession, which heavily depends on the availability of power.

The enthusiastic young man made his first step and needed support to continue; equipping his workshop with the needed equipment and the electric generator will improve his condition and allow him to go forward. 

Malaz and his family used to live in their home village "Al-Damina Al-Sharqiyah" where he had an aluminum workshop that he opened back in 1995 in "Al-Quseir" area, which ensured him and his family a decent living. 

Unfortunately, the cruel war began and all activities of life were shut down; he lost his workshop with all the machinery, and what broke his heart was losing his brother who was killed and Malaz became his elderly parents' only responsible besides his wife and their three children; he took his family to Lebanon seeking safety where he worked for other people. 

When the situation stabilized in Homs, his family moved back to alleviate the high costs of living in Lebanon, while Malaz stayed there for additional three years then he decided to return to his country. Being the sole provider for the people who count on him, he continued working but he barely managed to cover their daily needs without having the chance to reopen a workshop for himself.

Malaz visited our center hoping to compensate for his losses, and with the wide experience he has, his project was approved and today he has his own workshop, which will guarantee his children a better livelihood. 

Remon has been working in the field of stone and ceramic cladding since 1991 with great skills that he gained by working in many different areas around Homs. 

His brother had a marble factory and he worked with him in order to get the needed experience; in 2008, Remon had the chance to open his own factory, and the hardworking man managed to ensure a decent living for his wife and their three sons until the vicious war began and changed everything. 

The factory was located in a dangerous area and all the machinery and equipment were stolen, Remon lost his only source of livelihood, and to provide for his family, he had to work in many professions and with other craftsmen as a worker because he didn’t have the essential equipment. His wife tried to find a job to support him but unfortunately, their incomes were barely enough for their daily needs.

The skilled craftsman deserves to have his own project and work independently, which will allow him to guarantee a better future for his sons, and even though establishing a factory from scratch is impossible right now, having the equipment and tools will help him make his first step and create a difference in his life. 

No matter how tough the circumstances, Fadi who is the sole support for his family, didn’t give up and worked hard to ensure them a decent living. He lives with his wife and their two sons and he also became his mother's only provider after his father's death. 

Fadi's career started in 1997; and having all the required equipment made working between Syria and Lebanon easier and guaranteed him good opportunities. But the war began, everything changed; Fadi's equipment was stolen and he lost his work, in an effort to compensate, he worked with other craftsmen to save some money. 

Most of the savings were spent on his father's treatment costs, while the other remaining amount was unfortunately spent after Fadi was injured by an explosion and it took him two months to recover. 

Finding work became harder without equipment and at the same time, working with others deprived him of improving his income.

Now, it's time to compensate for Fadi's loss and revive the profession he depends on to secure his family a dignified life.

Elias used to work in floor grinding and polishing before traveling to Lebanon back in 2012 seeking a better future. 

He worked there in different fields until he managed to save the needed money to buy the essential machine and resume his former work in his country.

Unfortunately, his life was turned upside down when his father got a serious liver disease, which required intensive medical care, so Elias's family moved to Lebanon where his father stayed in the hospital for two months. 

The hospital and living costs were a heavy financial burden that forced the family to return home and move the father to another hospital in Homs to continue the treatment, Elias spent all the money he saved while working in Lebanon but sadly, his father didn’t last for a long time and passed away.

Today, Elias lives with his mother, his brother Jamil who is a painter, and his sister Christine in a modest house in Fairouza village. 

The hardworking man had to resume working with the craftsman who taught him floor grinding and polishing because he didn’t have the main equipment and machine to start his own business.

Elias deserves to settle down and focus again on his future after all the hardships he went through, especially since he is now engaged to the girl he loves and preparing together for their new life.

Nidal learned this profession from his father and started to work by himself back in 2007 after he had gained all the required skills, which allowed him to work all over the city. 

The vicious war has created a chaotic situation in the country and that, of course, had more negative impacts on people's lives than shells and bombs have ever done; as theft and crime increased, especially at the onset of the war. 

Unfortunately, all of Nidal's equipment was stolen from a construction site as a result and the sole provider for his wife and two children lost his only source of livelihood; he managed to borrow some equipment from his father and friends just to be able to resume working.

Nidal intended to compensate for his loss and get his own equipment but his income was barely enough for food and daily necessities.

Today thanks to the Micro Projects Program, the experienced craftsman now has what he needs to continue and ensure his small family a better income.

Syria is still suffering from the negative effects of the vicious war and establishing a stable future has become a real challenge for young people who were the most affected.

Like many at her age, Yara graduated from the faculty of pharmacy back in 2016 and didn’t have the chance to start her own pharmacy; during the same year, she got married to Zahi who works in distribution and now the couple has two lovely boys. 

However, Yara finished her rural services, which is obliged by Syrian law in order to get her permanent license to practice the profession after she worked for three years in a known pharmacy in her village. In 2019, she worked as an employee in hopes that things would improve and she would be able to open a pharmacy but unfortunately, the circumstances kept getting harder, and it remained a dream. 

Yara spent long years studying and working hard and her efforts should be rewarded; with the Micro Projects Program, it is time for her to run an independent business and help Zahi in providing a better living for their sons.