Micro-Projects is a livelihood-support program which helps family providers who had either lost their livelihood during the war, or aspire to be a productive and financially independent part of the community by starting their own income generating business. By financing their micro-projects, Christian Hope Center is helping Christian families to have a sustainable source of income, through the provision of equipment, machinery and tools. This will eventually mitigate the economic harm caused by increasing poverty and insecurity, preserve their dignity, and alleviate the calamities of war and the economic crisis, which will ultimately preserve the existence of an active Christian community in Syria. In addition to the Micro-Projects supported in Cities of Aleppo, Homs and Damascus, the program also supports families who rely on agriculture as their principal source of income in rural Homs.


702

Aleppo

704

Homs

324

Damascus

Taxi


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...


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Packaging and ironing workshop


Elias is a young man who lives with his family. He was discharged from his military service because he had a problem in his back. During the war his father lost his work in the mall and their house was damaged by a missile which later was fixed by the church. Now he is working in an ironing workshop as a worker, but his income is not sufficient, so he wants to open an ironing workshop because he has a good experience in this kind of work. Having this project will change his life entirely and will make him an independent person.

Fixing Car Motors


My name is Mardiros, I am married to Azneek Dawood, we have a 19 years old daughter, Elizabeth and a 15 years old son named Krikor. My wife works as a teacher in a secondary school. I used to work in fixing cars motors, my shop was in Bustan Al-Basha area, but when the crisis started in Aleppo it was destroyed, and I had to work as a driver for some time. During the war, my flat was hit by a shell...


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Taxi


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...


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Taxi


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...


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DJ equipment


Allaa is a single guy who lives with his family in a very small room in a building where his father works as a guard, but the owners of the building travelled out and they barely send him his salary. His father cannot leave the job firstly, because he cannot find a suitable job for him as he is very old and secondly if he leaves his job, he has to find another place to stay with his family. Allaa used to work in gold crafting workshop but the owner travelled so he started working as a DJ in parties, he does not own the DJ equipment, he always rents it, he needs this project to be able to get all the benefit from his work. This project will make him independent and will help him building up his future.

Taxi


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...


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Mini Market


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...


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Mini Pick-up Truck


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...


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Electrical Equipment


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...


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Hair Salon


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...


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Espresso Machine


Yossef is a single man who is now 42 years old. He lives with his father and his two brothers who are not married in the family house. He has a small espresso machine which is not enough to serve 2 people at the same time so he wants a bigger one which will make him able to earn extra amount of money. He is also renting a window in a small shop that costs him 25000 a month. “ I find it too hard to provide the daily needs for my family and pay the rent, but by having a bigger espresso machine all my problems will be solved”.

Cosmetics Shop


Sawsan, a wife and mother of two, faced the challenges of her husband's tiring profession in stone cladding, which took a toll on his health. Despite the hardships, he persevered, as there seemed to be no alternative. Witnessing his struggles, Sawsan decided to take matters into her own hands to support their family.

However, fate had other plans when she suffered a stroke, leaving her unable to work or exert herself. Determined to find a solution, she wanted to open a...


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Coffee Shop


After her husband's tragic death, Rimonda became the sole provider for their four children. Working for 8 years in a local coffee and sweets shop, she faced another blow when the shop owner decided to close it. Determined to secure a stable income for her family, she discovered the Micro Projects Program.

Realizing this could be her long-awaited opportunity, she envisioned establishing her own project, especially considering their village, Qattinah, had no other coffee shops. Rimonda applied for a coffee shop that would offer fresh coffee, chocolates, and juice. 

Fortunately, her project was approved, now, as an independent micro-business owner, Rimonda has not only created a source of income for her family, but also ensured a dignified life for them.

Electronic Devices Maintenance


Adnan, a retired electronic engineer living in Fairouza village, faced financial challenges after retirement, relying solely on a modest pension to support his family. Undeterred, he turned to his lifelong passion for electronic devices maintenance, a skill he cultivated since 1995. However, his work was hindered by the severe lack of electricity in his area and the absence of a suitable chair for his tasks.

Adnan, being the sole provider for his eighth-grade son, improved his work when a solar power...


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Sewing Machines


Manal, a skilled seamstress, faced challenges after leaving her job due to the war in Homs, because she couldn’t travel every day between her village Qattinah and Homs city. 

Determined to support her family, she turned to her sewing expertise; despite having old machines, she lacked the means to start her small business. 

With perseverance, she sought assistance from the Micro Projects Program. Today, thanks to this support, Manal has the tools she needs, with renewed hope, she stitches together a brighter days for her husband Bashar and their two children in Qattinah. 

Mini-Market


In Fairouza village, Nassouh and his wife Fahima work side by side, jointly managing a mini-market they established in 2020 to provide for their family. Their younger son seeks better opportunities in Lebanon, while the eldest, resides with them in the village. 

The mini-market offers a variety of food commodities and dairy products. Recently, their thriving business encountered a challenge when the refrigerator stopped due to an unreliable energy supply. The inadequate power led to the spoilage of numerous dairy products,...


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Mini-Market


Amany and Khalil, residents of Qattinah village, opened their mini-market back in 2005 in partnership with Khalil's brother, aiming to support their three daughters and son. 

In 2023, the couple had to take the full responsibility of the shop. Unfortunately, this weakened their capital, leading to a scarcity of goods and impacting their income. 

Desperate to save their livelihood, Amany turned to the Micro Projects Program and her application was approved, breathing new life into their mini-market. 

Now, restocked and thriving, the shop stands as their hope of securing a good life for their family. 

Olive, Almond, and Beans Land


In Qattinah village, Elias a farmer and family man, works tirelessly to provide for his wife and three children. 

Between the beans, olive, and almond trees in his precious land, he faced the challenge of soaring agricultural expenses, particularly the escalating costs of plowing that consumed his hard-earned profits. Being the sole provider, he juggled his time between farming and a mini-market job, just to ensure his family a dignified life.

The solution to this problem laid in having a mini-cultivator, an...


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Welding Workshop


Salim's life took a drastic turn with the outbreak of war in 2011. A skilled car mechanic with a thriving workshop in the industrial area of Homs, he owned a house in Al-Sabeel neighborhood and a car. However, when conflict forced Salim, his wife, and their three children to seek refuge in Al-Arman neighborhood, his stable life crumbled.

Jobless and facing the harsh reality of war, he resorted to selling his car for survival. As chaos intensified, their house in Al-Sabeel...


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Olive Land


Elias, a husband and father in the village of Qattinah, found himself facing financial strain as he and his wife, Nazha, worked tirelessly to provide for their family. With two sons living in Lebanon, he took on the responsibility of caring for their olive land. The cost of plowing weighed heavily on his shoulders, threatening their main source of livelihood.

Determined to overcome this challenge, Elias turned to the Micro Projects Program for support. Applying for a mini-cultivator proved to be...


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Hairstyling


Nidaa, a retired civil engineer, and her husband, a retired teacher, faced financial challenges as their two sons pursued university education. In 2016, she took a bold step to work in a hair salon, learning basic hairstyling skills. However, due to insufficient income and the inability to work independently, she left in 2020. 

With the deepening economic crisis, Nidaa, determined to contribute to her family's income, decided to utilize her hairdressing skills at home, operating with minimal tools, which proved challenging,...


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Floor Grinding and Polishing


Mamdouh and his wife Faten have faced many challenges since they were displaced from their home village, Al-Dwair, in 2013. With two children, they rebuilt their lives in Al-Arman neighborhood, residing in a rented apartment. 

The loss of their home, his job, car, and motorcycle were a devastating loss. He is a dedicated teacher since 1985, also had a career in floor grinding and polishing since 1976. However, his work was hampered by the lack of electricity and essential tools. The...


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Floor Grinding and Polishing


Nano has been working in floor grinding and polishing since 1995, he faced numerous challenges over the years. With a family to support, including his wife and two children, his primary goal was to secure a stable income.

In 2013, the unthinkable happened, his family was displaced from their home in Al-Dwair village due to the war and forced to relocate to Fairouza village. Amidst the chaos, he managed to carry his equipment with him, a valuable asset he had preserved...


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Photography Equipment


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...


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Pick-up Truck


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...


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Nail Care & Beauty Salon


Karin Jbeil, a woman of remarkable courage and determination, born in 1989, lived a journey of strength and self-discovery that shaped her life forever.

Married to Wissam Al Ramahin, a dedicated hospital employee, Karin’s life revolved around her family. With two precious children, Sharbel born in 2010, and Christelle in 2013, her days were filled with love and purpose.

Karin's entrepreneurial spirit ignited in 2008 when she enrolled in a nail and waxing course at the European Institute. From 2012 onwards, she...


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Blacksmith Workshop


Reineh Al-Hosh was born in 1997 into a family of craftsmen, Reineh's destiny seemed to unfold within the sparks of a blacksmith's workshop as his father, a seasoned blacksmith, toiled tirelessly at the forge.

From 2017, Reineh honed his craft across various workshops, absorbing every flicker of knowledge passed down by his father's skilled hands. Yet, amidst the clanging of metal, shadows loomed over his family as many health issues burdened his parents, casting shadows over his aspirations.

Reineh was yearning to...


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Printing Center


Saadeh Nader, born in 1993, is married and residing in a rented house in Kashkoul with his parents.

Saadeh's professional journey began in the printing industry. Initially working in a print shop in Safita, he later ventured into freelance graphic design, harnessing his skills in graphic design from 2016 to 2020. Despite setbacks, including the closure of his father's marketplace, Saadeh remained resilient.

In 2020, he moved to Damascus and secured employment at Food Products Company, where he honed his graphic design...


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Griddle Sandwiches


Osama Dawod hails from the war-torn region of Al-Zabadani, where destruction marred the landscape, leaving his family's home in ruins, forcing them to leave due to escalating violence, and settle in Bloudan holding onto hope and resilience.

However, despite financial constraints hindering his education, Osama's determination never wavered. He worked tirelessly, learning how to make Western snacks and grilled meals.

During that period, he took on various jobs to support his household, from working as a kitchen assistant to packing relief supplies,...


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Hairdressing Salon


Youssef Halaweh was born in 1989 in Dwalaa, Damascus city, his father, once a photographer, planted in him a passion for artistic expression to become a talented hairdresser.

Youssef's career as a hairstylist began in 2010, initially focusing on women's hairdressing before transitioning to work as a hairstylist for presenters on television channels like Talaqi and Sama. Despite the professional success, his personal life was fraught with difficulty as his mother battled breast cancer and the financial condition of his family...


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Pick-up Car


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,...


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Taxi


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...


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Photography Equipment


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....


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Make-up Kit


Raneen Al-Eid is originally from Daraa, her journey took a turn when she shifted to Damascus to pursue her studies in commerce and economics back in 2010. However, her aspirations were rerouted as she got married in 2013.

Her husband worked in a cooling and refrigeration company, and he was trying his best to provide for his family but with the company closure, Raneen and her husband found themselves in the face of financial hardships.

With determination to support her family, Raneen...


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Taxi


Khalil Al-Assaf, 34, carried the weight of responsibilities on his young shoulders, anchored by the memories of his deceased father. His world orbited around his mother, and his siblings: a sister, born in 1986, a school teacher, and a brother, born in 1987, who dedicated himself to volunteer work at the Sacred Hearts.

His journey began during critical conditions as he was called for service in 2010, where he stayed until his discharge in 2020, scarred by shrapnel wounds rendering him...


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