In a city afflicted with war it is a miracle to survive without any injuries, specially if you live in Al-Midan neighborhood which was a target for the missiles and mortar shells for many years.

Eiad Razzouk is a 48-years-old former chef in some of Aleppo’s most famous restaurants, specialized in Western cuisine. With his wife Nisreen, the couple have 3 Children; Jessica (19 years old), Elias (14 years old) and Pierre (10 years old).

When Pierre was still a toddler, the war reached Aleppo city. Razzouk family used to live in their rented house in Al-Midan, it is actually where Eiad was injured with a shrapnel from a mortar shell attack. In 2014, the area was heavily targeted, leaving people seeking safety in the buildings’ shelters, for several days the situation was unbearable, eventually when things were seemingly calmer. Eiad got out and went to his house, it was then when suddenly an explosion occurred and his arm was injured. After that, the family moved between many places and finally into Eiad’s brother-in-law’s apartment.               

The majority of the restaurants Eiad used to work in have been closed, or those in the old city were even destroyed. Eiad managed to find an office job in the blood bank where his wife Nisreen works. However, their modest salaries are not enough for the family’s livelihood. Eiad then thought how good and stable the income from working on a taxi could provide, remembering his own experience when back in 2003 to 2007 he worked as a driver. 

That’s why he wants a taxi with the help of the micro projects, it will allow him to increase his income majorly and improve the family’s way of life. 

I am Nichola Wahbe, a 46 years old man, married to Rima Fattouh. We have one daughter; Jessy, she is 19 years old and one son, Bashir; he is 17 years old, in addition to my mother Bahija who lives with us. I worked in a carpentry shop from 2005-2012 that’s where I learned the craft from the owner of the workshop when the crisis started the owner travelled, after that I worked as an electrician from 2015-2016 on demand, I also worked in distributing water with GOPA and the Maronite church project from 2016-2017. My wife works as a nurse in a doctor clinic. This year the Salesian took my daughter for treatment in Moscow because when she was 5 years old an accident led to the damage of her retina and the nerves of her eye, and she has been suffering since then. our house was damaged throughout the war and “we build, and we continue” charity helped us to repair most damages, the church helps us with cash aid that we really need. One year ago, I rented a carpentry shop from my friend, that I am working in right now, but I need some new machines that will be much more helpful for my job because they will afford time and effort and my work will be more professional , in addition I will be able to receive more work, because with the machines I have now I can’t complete the whole work but I try to do them manual, I really need this project to have good income that will provide my family with the needs.

Zouhair Ahmar is a self-made, hardworking father of two Antoine (21 years-old) and Naya (14 years-old). Along with his wife Caroline, they took care of their kids and put together a beautiful home over the years, He used to work as a driver in a well-known cab service company called “Taxi Baghdad”, this job provided a decent living for the family of four. But with the beginning of war, the company closed and he was suddenly jobless. in those hard years of war, he didn’t give up, he worked for a while on a pickup truck specialized to deliver water to houses when the water supplies were cut off of Aleppo city. Then based on his expertise in cars and car mechanics, he worked in repairing generators’ electricity since they have the similar operating systems as car motors, for the last four years he has been working as a driver for the Maronite Archdiocese. Although they survived the war with minimal losses, but the fear and psychological suffering were no less painful, the family’s house is located in a dangerous zone of Telefon-Hawaee area, where bombs were falling all around them. Being unemployed for a long time, had a huge impact on the family both financially and psychologically, specially on Zuhair’s wife Caroline. Today he hopes to be able to practice his job as a taxi driver like the good old days, taking advantage of the many acquaintances he has, that would give him the capability to pay his bills and provide for his family’s every need.

One of the most affected regions in Aleppo is “Sheikh Maksoud”, the majority of its residents have been displaced, one of them is Fadi Msadi. Fadi is 50 years old, married to Rita Sabee and the father of a 2-year-old daughter Anna Maria. Fadi used to work as a driver from 2000 to 2012, until he found a job as a guard for a family that have a villa in Al-Hamdaniah area. The little family struggled from the early beginnings of the conflict, after being displaced from their home in Sheikh Maksoud, they lost everything. After they were left homeless, the villa owner offered them to stay in a part of it while he and his family are out of the country. Despite that the guarding job gave them a place to stay, but Fadi’s salary was so modest that it wasn’t enough for the daily livelihood. Also, it’s worth mentioning that the location of the villa is still very dangerous, which makes it impossible for him to leave his wife and daughter there alone all day, in such unsafe circumstances. That’s why moving out of the villa has become inevitable. In 2017, Fadi escaped death by a miracle, a missile fell very near to him and he was so lucky that he survived with a severe leg injury; it was so bad that they barely were able to save it from being amputated. He desperately needs to move out from Al-Hamdania area after all the traumatic events he has been through, to a safer environment, but the rents are very high nowadays. Having a decent income is a necessity for the family to move forward, that’s why having a mini-pickup truck to work on to rent a home and save his family from constant danger.

Abd Al-Ahad family are enthusiastically expecting a new member, the most excited is the 3 years old Matia, the daughter of Rami (39 years-old) and Myriam (27 years-old). Every morning since 1998, Rami opens his shop in Al-Moushie neighborhood where he works in ‘fixing and selling electrical tools and equipment’, the business used to be better, but during the war, it became an extremely dangerous zone, the number of customers decreased significantly. For four years it was a daily struggle for Rami to open his shop in the dangerous conditions until in 2016 a missile hit his shop and it was severely damaged leaving rami unable to renovate because of the high costs, but despite of this hardship he continued working after basic repairments and few goods to work with. Myriam also contributes in the house income, as she teaches in Al-Amal school, but even together their income is not sufficient for the needs of their growing family during these hard-economic situations. With the arrival of the newborn baby, the family’s expenses will increase that’s why Rami need to find a solution to upgrade his income. Today he is thinking about Investing more in importing the electrical spare parts he used to sell for a living by bigger amounts, so he can get better deals from suppliers and compete in prices with the local market

Majd, a pharmacist, embarked on her journey in 2000 when she graduated from the faculty of pharmacy. She diligently completed her rural service in 2003 as per Syrian laws. Alongside her pharmacy, she ventured into medicine marketing in rural Homs until 2010. However, in 2011, the onset of war forced her to relocate her activities to the city of Homs.

Majd is married to Toni, a doctor, and they are parents to three children. Together, they strive to provide their family with a decent living.

In 2017, she made a brave move, moving her pharmacy to Al-Hamidia neighborhood. Here, she faced numerous challenges, particularly the scarcity of medications and the skyrocketing prices, which took a toll on her small business as she struggled to maintain the sustainability.

She sought assistance from the Micro Projects Program to strengthen her pharmacy and stock it with essential medications. With the support, her pharmacy thrived, offering vital medications to her community, and ensuring a better future for her family.

Ghattas, a hardworking farmer from Qattinah village, faces the challenge of plowing costs for his olive land. With a loving family, including his wife Mariana and a baby girl Lamitta, they all reside with his parents and sisters. To provide extra support for his family, he works at a factory.

However, the financial burden of plowing expenses became overwhelming. Renting a tractor was increasingly costly, especially as the land required plowing four times a year, possibly more. Determined to overcome this obstacle, Ghattas applied to the Micro Projects Program.

His application was for a mini-cultivator, which would help him save on plowing and spraying costs. Additionally, he sought assistance for a trailer and fertilizers tank. With this support, he could secure his family's financial stability and ensure the prosperity of their olive land.

Ammar, from Qattinah village, is the sole provider for his wife and their five-year old son. Once a taxi driver, he embarked on a journey that led to the loss of everything he had worked for when his attempt to travel abroad turned out to be a fraudulent scheme. Determined to provide for his small family, Ammar and his wife embarked on a new venture.

A glimmer of hope emerged when his wife learned about the potential of producing organic compost. They delved into this idea with the guidance of an experienced mentor in the field. Being from an agricultural area, he recognized the potential in vermicompost, a form of organic fertilizer produced through earthworm farming.

With unwavering determination, Ammar set his sights on creating a sustainable source of income for his family. He designed a project that revolved around two key aspects, producing high-quality compost and breeding earthworms. The vermicasts produced by these earthworms were rich in vital nutrients, making them ideal fertilizers that improved soil quality.

To bring his vision to life, Ammar needed specific resources such as tanks, earthworms, concrete tank construction, water tanks, an electric generator, water hoses, and a weighing scale. However, his financial situation posed a significant obstacle.

In his quest to overcome these challenges, he applied to the Micro Projects Program, with the provided support, Ammar obtained the necessary resources to launch his vermicompost project. As the earthworms multiplied and the project expanded, his dream transformed into a flourishing business, providing a better future for his family.

In 1997, Georgette honed her sewing skills at a reputable sewing workshop, but her dreams were temporarily put on hold when she married Hosn in 1999. Life took a challenging turn during the war, as her husband's work in stone cladding was negatively affected.

In 2013, they relocated to a village near Homs, hoping for better prospects. Georgette found work in a sewing workshop. When the workshop moved to Homs in 2014, they moved back and she became a supervisor, but the workshop closed its doors in 2016.

Despite challenges, Georgette didn’t give up on her passion, repairing clothes at home with an old machine. Her dream of a small business became stronger and she aspired to assist her husband in providing a better life.

A positive turning point came when she applied to the Micro Projects Program. Her request for sewing machines and a solar power system was granted. With renewed hope, she could now work with dignity and generate a stable income, contributing to a brighter future for both her and Hosn. 

Sara's life took a challenging turn when her father passed away, leaving her, her mother, and her two brothers to navigate life's hardships alone. With one brother serving in mandatory military service and the other seeking opportunities abroad, she felt a deep responsibility to contribute to her family's well-being.

Despite her determination, working at various stores didn't provide the income needed to support her loved ones. In 2022, Sara saw a ray of hope when she attended a specialized nail care training under the guidance of a skilled nail care specialist. She practiced her newfound skills at home, using her trainer's kit as she couldn't afford her own.

Her dream was to start her micro-project, allowing her to provide for her family during these tough times. Her application to the Micro Projects Program was approved, and now she has her own kit, ready to offer her services and secure a brighter future for her family and all her effort and hard work will shine as she embarks on this new journey. 

Samer, a third-year civil engineering student, is an inspiring young man with a remarkable journey. Three years ago, he embarked on a path as a photographer, starting with humble beginnings. His journey began at the iconic Um Al-Zennar church in Homs, where he worked as a journalist for the church's Facebook page, armed only with a mobile phone to capture the moments.

His dedication led him to a photography training course, refining his skills. He soon found himself working as an assistant photographer for Suboro TV, a remarkable opportunity that further honed his craft.

Determined to make his own path, Samer resorted to social media to start his small photography business, initially by renting cameras to fulfill his customers requirements. 

His family, unable to afford a camera, relied on his father, a nurse at a medical laboratory, as the sole provider. Samer's dream was to ease the burden on his aging father, who supported his mother and sister.

His work encompassed a wide range of services, from photography in various domains to product and food marketing, alongside his role at Suboro TV. His goal was to have his own camera and equipment, transforming his passion into a sustainable livelihood.

In pursuit of this dream, Samer applied to the Micro Projects Program for support, with the assistance, he now possesses his own camera, enabling him to contribute significantly to his family's well-being. Samer's hard work has turned his passion into a source of hope and support for his loved ones. 

Sanaa, a retired French language teacher, found herself facing the harsh realities of life after her husband's unfortunate passing due to the cruel war that had affected the country. Living with her son and two daughters, they endured the devastating loss of their car in 2012 and further destruction when their house was hit by another shell in 2017, severely impacting her cherished crafts and souvenir shop.

After her husband's tragic death in 2018, she courageously reopened her shop, eager to rebuild their lives. Recognizing her strength and potential, she applied to the Micro Projects Program for assistance. With the support she received, Sanaa invested in a battery to enhance her handmade pieces and secured essential raw materials for crafting candles and souvenirs.

Through hardship and loss, Sanaa's resilience prevailed. With the Micro Projects Program's help, she rebuilt her shop, proving that determination can conquer adversity.

Matile's life has been a journey of hard work and sacrifice. Divorced five years ago and tragically losing her older son in an accident, she found herself the sole provider for her elderly mother and her son George. 
With a background as a seamstress since 1989, she decided to take control of her destiny in 2022. Tired of low wages and exhausting work, she rented a small space and established her own workshop.

Her workshop, equipped with only one old sewing machine, symbolized her determination to build a better life. Her dream was to expand her business, offering not just sewing but also designing and clothing repairs. This was her path to improved productivity.

Hope came in the form of the Micro Projects Program. Despite the hardships she had endured, Matile saw a ray of hope through this program, a chance to turn her dreams into reality and provide a better living for her family. 

Nekoula and Samar, the parents of twins, faced adversity when the war in Homs city left them with nothing. They made a fresh start in Fairouza village, where Nekoula, once a carpenter, had to change his profession due to a health condition in 2016. Together, they opened a mini-market to support their family.

Their mini-market, filled with various goods, faced a constant struggle due to unreliable electricity, forcing them to rely on costly generators to power their two refrigerators for dairy, juice, and ice cream. That's when Nekoula learned about the Micro Projects Program.

With hope in his heart, he applied for a sustainable solution, a solar power system. This innovative change not only secured their family's livelihood but also saved them from the financial burden of fuel costs. The solar energy would now power their mini-market, a beacon of hope in the face of hardships.

Ahlam, an employee at the University of Homs, and her retired architect husband faced financial challenges while raising their two children. 

Seven years ago, they took a leap of faith and established their own small shop, selling what is left from Ahlam's jewelry and delving into handicrafts. The neighborhood embraced their creativity, and their project thrived. Utilizing his architectural skills, her husband began crafting unique designs for their shop.

However, in recent years, rising prices threatened their shop, their lifeline. In their time of need, Ahlam turned to the Micro Projects Program for support. This crucial assistance breathed new life into their shop, preventing its closure and allowing this passionate family to continue their journey in handicrafts and provide good living for their loved ones. 

Bahjat, a skillful car repair mechanician with over 15 years of experience, honed his skills in the workshops of Homs and Lebanon. His journey began in Rableh village, where he first delved into the world of car repair. After four years in Lebanon, he returned to Rableh but later moved to Fairouza village in 2022. There, he rented a house, got engaged driven by his dreams of starting a family with the woman he loved.

Despite his wealth of expertise, Bahjat faced a significant obstacle, the lack of resources to establish his own workshop. 

Determined not to let this setback hinder his dreams, he applied for the Micro Projects Program, seeking the opportunity to turn his passion and experience into a thriving business. With the program's support, he managed to start his workshop, his way to build a better life for his loved ones.

Christine Fanouneh is 39 years old, she lives with her mother and brother in Jaramana, Damascus suburbs.

During her childhood, Christine lived in a very harmful environment as her father used to abuse her mother on daily basis in front of her and her sister, her brother was born with Down’s syndrome in addition to many health problems which made him in a continuous of medication and lots of love, care, and attention that the family was missing.

When Christine and her sister became adults, they stood in the face of their father defending their mother which angered him so he kicked them out of the house. Christine didn’t sit around feeling sorry for herself, on the contrary, she started working as a seamstress assistant and took care of the house expenses and her brother's medicine costs.

In 2009, Christine decided to start a job at a telecommunications company where she could meet people and have a social life until 2019 when she volunteered at the GOPA DERD organization.

During those years she kept working in sewing as a part-time job and managed to continue her education and graduate from the faculty of English literature.

Unfortunately, the health condition of her brother Elias was deteriorating and he needed intensive care that her mother couldn’t handle alone as she was not in a good mental situation and suffering from a lack of concentration due to the severe abuse that she was exposed to during her life with her husband, which forced Christine to miss many work days so she can be with her mom and brother.

Christine realized that she needs a job where she could manage her time and look after her family at the same time. She found her way to the micro-projects initiative and applied for a sewing machines, tools, and equipment that will enable her to have a new start in this field hoping that this opportunity will help her provide a proper income to look after her family.

Elie Istanboly, 30 years old, is like many young men of his age who had to spend years of the war facing dangers and horrors during their military service, and in Elie's case, it took nine difficult years of his youth.

Before the war began, Elie worked as a taxi driver and after he was discharged in 2019, he wanted to learn a profession so he could have a career for the future and make up for the previous years.

Elie started working at a metal casting workshop and in the afternoon, he continued working as a taxi driver trying his best to pay all his expenses and provide the living demands for his family.

However, the metal casting profession affected his health as he was exposed to lung poisoning due to inhaling poisoned gases. After his treatment, his doctor recommended that he doesn't go back to the same job because his lungs were damaged, and continuing in the same work might lead to serious outcomes.

But working as a taxi driver wasn’t enough to meet the livelihood costs because he had to give half of his income to the taxi owner, which forced him to sacrifice his health and face the dangers of keep working in the metal workshop for the sake of his family.

Elie was seeking any chance to improve his situation so he applied for the Micro-projects program for a taxi hoping that his life would change for the better.

Today after being funded to buy a taxi, Elie is delighted to have a project of his own. At the same time, he can work harder and improve his living conditions to provide his family and kids with a decent life.

Hassan Jolan, 33, didn’t have the chance to work or learn any profession after turning into his twenties because he was called for military service. He thought it would be a short period and pass in peace, but he did not know that a fierce war would strike his country to steal nine years from his life in which he had to be far from his family and friends under very difficult circumstances until his discharge in 2019.

He went home full of hope, got married to Suzan Altheib, and had adorable two kids who compensated him for the bitterness of wartime. During that period, he started to work as a taxi driver but he encountered critical conditions due to the corona virus and the restrictions that were followed by a huge increase in prices.

Unfortunately, no matter how long he worked, he kept suffering from the insufficient income and he became unable to handle the living expenses and his kids’ demands, especially since the taxi owner started to increase the rent which prevented him from having any additional savings.

However, even though all his relatives and friends were encouraging him to travel abroad, deep in his heart Hassan was praying to have a chance in his country, close to his parents and among his friends, and that’s what he got as he was funded with the taxi project that turned his life around as he has now a taxi of his own, and independence to have a better and sustainable income to improve his living conditions.

At the age of five, the life of Adeeb Haddad completely changed from a young child living in a safe environment with his parents to a homeless orphan moving from house to house.

His father's death in 2001 put his mother in a state of grieving and shock and also affected Adeeb who lost security and stability. Their financial conditions were very bad as his mother wasn’t working, so they moved to live with their relatives until his mother decided to marry and move with her husband to Homs.

Unfortunately, his stepfather was very cruel to him, while his mother was too weak to protect him so Adeeb moved back to his relatives' house and never saw his mother for the next eight years. Adeeb has suffered a lot from deprivation as his relatives were also living in extreme poverty; he was forced to leave school in the sixth grade and worked in cleaning bathrooms and washing dishes, or any other job he could find.

In 2017, Adeeb worked with his friend in a mobile maintenance workshop, where he found his interest, as he liked the profession and learned it quickly until he became well-known in his neighborhood for being a skilled maintenance worker. However, his friend wanted to travel, so Adeeb decided to borrow some money and buy the equipment from him to continue in the workshop alone which gave him the opportunity he was looking for to be independent and start his own project.

Adeeb was working in his shop seeking to improve his living conditions to get married, but no matter how hard he worked, that little dream kept becoming farther because the living circumstances were very tough, and with his modest workshop and old tools, he was unable to save money or improve his conditions.

With the help of micro-projects, Adeeb was supported with new tools and proper amounts of goods to enhance his work and income, hoping that after all those tough days, life will smile on him and he will be able to improve his situation and establish his own family.

Often, we are born to encounter many life obstacles, but the defining point is either giving up or challenging and accepting these obstacles and continuing our lives while we are full of hope and optimism, which was the choice of thirty-two-year-old Johnny Mardini.

Johnny was born into a humble family consisting of a hardworking father who worked day and night for the sake of his family and a loving mother who did everything she could to give love and care, especially since Johnny's older brother George suffers from a mental disability since birth that stopped his growth.

However, Johnny never hesitated to be responsible for his brother or his parents; so he learned the plumbing profession from his father and began to work with him at the workshops and at the plumbing store, trying his best to help with the household expenses.

unfortunately, in 2011 a fierce war broke out and stole Johnny from his family, as he was taken for military service to serve in conflict areas, where he used to be absent for many months without being able to communicate with his family, the thing that made them live in great fear and affected their health. After ten bitter years of suffering and life threats, Johnny was finally released in the year 2021.

After he returned, Johnny did not hesitate to work as a plumber, in the evenings he stayed with his father in the store and tried to give his brother the care he missed in his absence.

Johnny was striving to secure the most basic needs of the house, not to mention the monthly medicine costs for his parents, and despite his tight conditions and poor financial situation, his warm smile did not leave his face, and he kept hoping that life would reward him for his endeavors one day.

Indeed, this self-made man deserved the support of the Micro-project Program in Damascus, where his plumbing store was funded with the necessary equipment and materials that will increase his income and improve his living situation, in the hope it will reflect positively on his life and future.

losing her husband at the age of 26, and being responsible for a newborn baby at the same time is tough for any woman to handle, but Nancy Alshoufi decided to direct her love and care to her baby who will grow up without his father's support.

Her in-laws were also in great shock as they lost their son at a very young age, Nancy decided to keep living with them trying her best to look after them after their huge loss.

This young lady’s sacrifice had no limits as she took a full-time job to afford her son’s basic demands and at the same time help her in-laws with the house expenses. She also decided to finish her education at the faculty of translation as she is now in her third year continuing her journey in work and study with great passion.

In 2019, Nancy took a Micro project management course at GOPA and won funding for starting a small nuts shop in the neighborhood which will be additional income for her but unfortunately, the start of her project was in parallel with the Corona crisis in the country which led to a huge increase in the prices and the fund she got wasn’t enough for buying 20 percent of the shop’s goods and materials.

Yet, she kept trying with the help of her father to sustain the shop and manage its capital to buy new goods, but that became difficult as time passed because of the hard economic conditions of the last two years.

Although Nancy was struggling to make a balance between her living expenses and raising her son in good conditions, she didn’t lose faith in God who led her to apply at the micro-project office in Damascus and she was supported with the necessary goods and materials that will increase her income and ensure the stable and secured income.

Behind the great amount of sadness and calamities that Fahed has been through in his life, there is a loving, confident heart and a solid will to improve himself and save his family from their tragic situation.

Fahed Farah, 34, is a caring husband and father of two sons; Farah, born in 2017, and Charbel born in 2019. He lives along with his family in a dilapidated flat in Al-Dwalaa neighborhood.

At the beginning of his twenties, Fahed was called to the military service for eight tough years of his life, he had to face the most difficult conditions until his discharge in 2018. He was then facing a harsher reality as his son was diagnosed with a brain tumor and needed to undergo a surgical operation which cost Fahed all his savings in addition to selling his wife’s gold jewelry.

Fahed was on the edge of a breakdown, but his will was stronger than his conditions, so he decided to defeat all the obstacles and start over. He returned to the physics college to continue his education in the morning, and in the afternoon, he started working as a taxi driver and a physics tutor at the same time, trying his best to secure the living demands and his son’s medications for misfunction in the Hypothyroidism which led to lack of growth.

Sorrowfully, such an effort didn’t improve his situation because half of his income was going straight to the taxi owner and he was looking for a miracle to save him from his hardship.

Now, after applying to the Hope center to have his own Taxi, Fahed is determined to improve his livelihood, finish his university study and provide his family with decent living circumstances.

Wadie Abou Assaleh, a 60-year-old man, is married to Claire and they have two sons George who since his born in 1994 suffers from a mental disability, and Elias born in 1991. 

From 1985 to 2011 Wadie worked as a goldsmith along with his brother at their workshop but after the outbreak of the war, their profession was affected badly. Hence, his brother traveled abroad and Wadie was forced to close the workshop and work as a private driver for an archbishop on the Damascus-Beirut international road which provided him with a decent income during the years of war.

Wadie dedicated his life to the sake of his boys as he provided his son George with all the love and care he needs; he wanted to support his son and prove to him that disability is not an inability, so in 2012 he rented a mini-market near his house and filled it with goods so his son could do something valuable and be socially involved with the people every day.

His other son Elias traveled to Erbil but he couldn’t’ find a proper job and Wadie had to send him money every month to secure his living. Unfortunately, by the end of 2019, the corona epidemic affected the situation all over the world and the travel movement stopped between Syria and Lebanon which left Wadie jobless.

His son Elias was also in a bad financial situation in Erbil and wanted to return to Syria so Wadie had no choice but to sell his car to pay him the military service fees.

Although Wadie started the market to enhance his son's social abilities, now even with its poor amount of goods, it became the only source of income for the whole family. Giving him the chance to renew his goods will help him overcome all the tough days and allow him to improve his family’s situation.

As long as you keep smiling in the face of your difficulties, life will reward your great hope. 

Simon Tannous is 44 years old, he is married and has two adorable girls, Hala born in 2008, and Lana born in 2013.

Simon and his family live in a small rented flat in Kashkoul and he also works in his mini-market in the same area.

He was an employee as a driver at the construction administration in Damascus since 1996, but his low income wasn't matching his living expenses which made him decide to have additional income, he started his own mini-market shop in 2010 where he used to work in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, after about three years of the war’s outbreak, the violent acts spread all over and as a result, the armed groups robbed and vandalized his shop which cost him many losses.

Yet, Simon didn’t hesitate to borrow some money and buy new goods to keep the work going which annoyed the troublemakers in the area and they reported him to the police station for selling alcoholic drinks illegally. That cost Simon five years of his life in prison until the church intervened to prove his innocence and he was set free in 2019.

After his release, Simon’s health was affected badly as he was suffering from Back disc pains which made him quit his job at the administration and returned to work at his mini-market.

During the last years, Simon’s family survived with the support of the church’s relief aid and the help of their friends and relatives. Simon couldn’t provide his shop with new goods to improve the work and increase his income.

However, despite all the difficulties he has been through, Simon’s smile never disappeared and he kept praying for a better future. Indeed, his hope wasn't disappointed and with the help of the Micro-project program, he was supported with a proper amount of goods that will increase his income and improve his situation.

Sometimes the only thing that can keep you fighting, is believing that one day everything is going to be better.

Najeh Ajaiby, 52, has never stopped believing that good things are coming on his way.

he is originally from Egypt and came to Syria in 1997 looking for better work opportunities, so he started to work in his profession as a carpenter in different workshops. Soon after he got married to Samar AL-Abdoun and had three children Ruba, Fadi, and Mina.

Najeh worked hard for many years in Al-Swaida until he became able to establish his own carpentry workshop in 2009 in the same area. His wife and kids were living in Damascus so Najeh was planning to move his workplace there to be close to them but in 2011, the war started in the country and the deteriorating security situation in the area prevented him from moving. For more than ten years, Najeh was forced to be far from his family working as hard as he could to secure all their living needs and provide his kids with proper education to secure their future.

Indeed, his daughter Ruba is studying now at the Engineering college, his son Mina is in the faculty of Medicine while the other son Fadi has won a scholarship to study flight engineering in Moscow.

Even though Najeh was delighted to see his kids succeed in their studies, he had to work harder to meet the increasing costs of living which were unbearable, especially within the electricity blackouts situation in the area which affected his work directly as his customers started to deal with other workshops which have electric generators and can do the work on time.

Now after being financed with the electric generator and the necessary equipment, this self-made man has the chance to improve his work which will change his situation for the better and secure decent living conditions.  

Salwan Alnasr is 43 years old, married to Rita with a 13-year-old son called Jack.

Salwan and his family live in a modest rented flat in Al-Dwalaa, He used to work as a tile setter for more than 13 years. Despite the fact that his work was very hard and affected his health on the long term, he kept working to afford the best life for his family because during the crisis years, no matter how hard he worked, his income didn’t level up with the high costs of livelihood.

Unfortunately, in 2017, Salwan started to suffer from severe pain in his back and the doctor told him that he has to go through surgery that he couldn’t afford, but “the Good Shepherd Association” covered the surgery’s costs and after the operation, he had to stay for about 18 months in bed rest. During that period, Salwan had to spend all his savings to afford the basic living needs and after his recovery, his brother helped him to start a small shop close to his house where he could be able to support his family without much physical effort.

He worked in the shop with his brother until his traveling in 2020 when Salwan took the responsibility of running the shop by himself and he became very popular in the neighborhood as people got used to buying from him.

However, due to the Corona and the huge increase in prices, Salwan couldn’t support his shop with new goods, and day after day it became empty besides a few materials that were left on the shelves. Salwan was in a bad financial situation and he wasn’t able to make a balance between his income and his family’s living demands. 

“Don’t let life bring you down. Remember that God gives you struggles to test your faith.”

Salwan’s faith was stronger than his struggles, and now after being supported by the micro-project program he is able to support his shop with a good amount of goods and products to improve his income and restore his life balance.

In 2010, Tony left his village and headed to the city of Damascus with hope and determination to make a change in the life of his family. He settled in Al-Dwalaa neighborhood and started to work in any available job and send most of his wages to his mother and brother who suffers from sight disability. 

Unfortunately in the first years of the war the security situation in Damascus deteriorated badly, and soon after, he was asked to serve in Hama.

Tony accepted the bitter reality and for more than eight years he served in very dangerous zones, went through several hardships, and survived many calamities. Yet, he didn’t let his situation bring him down, on the contrary, he learned the hairstyling profession and while he was serving in Hama, he worked at Marmarita village then when he was transferred to serve in Damascus, he continued his work there and gained good experience by the leading of professional hairstylists in the area.

The day that Tony was looking forward to, had arrived and he was discharged from the military service. He didn’t hesitate and started to work many shifts during the day to improve his financial situation, he wanted to save money to have his own salon, but his family’s situation wasn’t stable and he was sending them money every month to secure their basic living demands.

Tony’s dream of being independent and having his private job was fading away with the increasing costs of living, but he kept on the hard work until he heard about the micro-project program so he came with all hope asking for support.

Now, after being financed with the necessary equipment and the electric generator, Tony has finally reached his goal; having his own salon, and being independent to mprove his living circumstances.