Since 1983, Manoug Hyrabedian worked in cars repairing, his workshop was in Bustan Al-Basha and like all the workshops in that area he was forced to evacuate in 2012, with the start of the war. His losses weren’t only the workshop, he also had machinery there and a lot of materials stored there, none of that could be rescued. For two years the 63-years-old stayed without any work, but the family of four had no other source of income than his son Garo’s salary from working in a retail store for cars spare parts (his wife Nora doesn’t have a job, and Patil; his daughter is preparing for her baccalaureate exams).

After that, Manoug Had to find a solution, he started working with some of his friends for a small profit percentage, but it was better than nothing. The church also helped with occasional food baskets and small financial aids, which was a temporarily support for them, specially that there were other things they had to endure; like the lack of electricity and water cut-offs.

Almost two years ago, the armed groups withdrew from Bustan Al-Basha. The craftsmen including Manoug; had high hopes of returning to their careers and workshops, but time passed by and things didn’t get better, the electricity didn’t come back and the infrastructure hadn’t been repaired. That’s why last year Manoug rented a cosmetic store his older daughter helped him, but for the craftsman it was not something he could success in.

All that Manoug wants is to repair his old workshop and replace the stolen equipment to restart from where he left off, it’s been his profession for 36 years, and it’s what he wants to do in the future.

When you hear Sarkis explain How he manufactures his products (electrical breakers for cars), you can see how passionate he is about his profession. 

Sarkis Habib is a 37-years-old who lives with his wife Vartouhi and their two daughters; Zovig and Rita in their grandmother Zovinar house, he is the provider for all of them. After his father passed away Sarkis kept his father’s workshop working for a long time. He used to spend the majority of his day in the workshop where he put his equipment and tools and he would lose track of time. The process of manufacturing one piece takes a lot of time and effort and lots of steps on different machines, each designed for a specific purpose.

With the start of war, the father of two was burdened with the collapse of the Syrian currency, and the rising living costs. The high material prices made it impossible for Sarkis to invest in new ones, it would make the whole process financially inefficient. He made the hard decision of closing the workshop, and then started the search for a job… 

After a while he started working as a delivery guy for a mini market, and that became the source of income for the family. Although it is helping them to survive but it is frustrating for a man like Sarkis to give up the job he loves and work for others, while his own workshop is closed.

All what Sarkis needs to restart his business is to be able to purchase the primary material needed for the production process, going back to his workshop would mean the world to him, and this will be a new beginning for the whole family.

Charbel Mamo is a 27-years-old young man who went against all expectations and while a great percentage of Syrian youth did everything to leave the country or even wished to leave, Charbel couldn’t stand being away from his family and fiancée so after four years in Sweden he couldn’t wait to come back to his hometown Aleppo.

During his stay in Sweden, Charbel worked in the food business, in a pizzeria place and he excelled that job, on the busy weekends he used to serve up to 600 pizzas a day, his job was the only thing he enjoyed there. 

All the experiences Charbel had gone through and what he learned from his father in sales field, gave him a good knowledge in having a successful project of his own. And despite the diversity of the domains he worked in previously, he knew exactly how to benefit from these experiences when planning for his project. At first, he wanted to open a small restaurant or a pizzeria since it had been his latest job, but the costs are unbelievably high to start such a project from scratch. That’s why he decided to open a retail shop for women’s sportswear and sneakers.

The location of his shop, the decoration to attract the customers, and the advertising techniques all are well planned elements that Charbel have to start a thriving business for years to come.

Craftsmen are the most people who were affected in the Syrian war. 

Nasri is a 56 years old carpenter, who works mainly in spraying and painting wooden furniture, his workshop was located in Suleyman AL-halabi area like most of the workshops of this kind.

When the war started in 2012, the area was confiscated by armed groups and that was the last time Nasri saw his workshop. It was a rental but the tools and equipment were his, and unfortunately, they were all stolen.

Nasri was left without a source of income, he needed to work in order to provide for his wife Georgette and his 16-years-old daughter Maria. The carpentry business was slow by then in the city, he had to work in anything he could find, so he found a job as a janitor in a building for a while…

At the same time, he started having some health-related issues that escalated quickly, and Nasri found himself in need of an open-heart surgery.

After the successful surgery in 2017, Nasri worked in “George Salem printing house” for one year. When the carpentry workshops gradually started working again, Nasri’s friends supported him to go back to his original craft, he started working with them in exchange for a profit percentage temporarily until he can stand on his own feet, and that is exactly what he wants. 

Nasri and his family are ready to put the past behind them, they survived the years of war, the daily dangers and the destruction of their house, when a mortar shell hit their living room demolishing the balcony and the living room walls, (The Latin church helped with the reconstruction fees). Today Nasri is looking forward for a better future, and all he needs is a little financial help to rent a shop and purchase the needed tools to start off his business.

My name is Salim Ajami, I am 40 years old; I’m married to Georgina Mashek and we have two little boys, Tawfeek is 11 years old, and Elia is 9 years old. We live in Al-Midan area in Aleppo, this area was very dangerous during the war because it was a critical fire line, all our neighbors left fearing for their lives, we used to go down to the building shelter when the children get terrified by the sounds of boming. My main job was a driver in a housing project from 2007 in Sheikh Saeed area, but in 2013, the company closed because the region was under attack, and I became unemployed. After that I worked in selling cigarettes in an area near my house, where I was living, I suffered a lot in this work specially in the winter harsh cold, in addition to the constant fear of being killed by a mortar bomb in any minute. My project is a taxi cab, I chose this job because I don’t have an experience in other fields and working on a taxi will increase my income, I am an excellent driver. My hope is to be able to provide a decent life for my wife and my boys, during these hard times that we are going through.