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.


650

Aleppo

605

Homs

230

Damascus

Rubber Molding


Bassem 51 years old lives with his wife and daughter in a rented house in Aleppo, after they have lost all their property in the village of Al-Jdayda at the beginning of the war. 

Before the war, he had a large agricultural land he relied on as a main source of income in addition to his work as a policeman. 

When the fighting reached the village, Bassem fled with his family to their relatives' house in Aleppo.

He started a new life in a new...


Read More

Mini Pick-up Truck


Khalil 47 years old, lives with his old parents and two brothers. the youngest one has a disability and his parents have a lot of health issues due to their old age.Therefore, Khalil and his big brother are the main providers for the family; they have been working on Pickup-trucks since 2009. but life wasn't easy for them, last year, Khalil's vehicle was stolen in front of his house during the night and he lost his main source of income.

Khalil...


Read More

Barbershop


Sarkis,20 years old, was born to a modest family consists of four people, his parents work in the same school, his father is a bus driver, his mother is a cleaner and his sister woks and studies at the same time.

“My parents did their best, but they never encouraged me to continue my education”, Sarkis decided to quit school and learn hair styling to gain enough experience and become a well-known barber.

He worked in a barbershop since 2014, but due...


Read More

Car Mechanic


The will to survive cannot be stopped, no matter how difficult the circumstances are"

With this sentence, Mr. Shukri opened his speech, defying all difficulties and struggling in the face of the daily life. 

Shukri did not complete his studies, but had to leave the school early when he was just 12 years old to help his family to provide the income; he worked for one of the best mechanics in the area and learned to disassemble and assemble the car engine...


Read More

Satellite Dish Repairing


Life takes a heavy toll during war times. people start to lose hope.

Hagob is 57 years old and lives with his wife in their modest house. He has been working in satellite dish repair for 25 years. He had a kit but in the war, his house was damaged by a shell, and all the furniture was stolen, including his tools that he used to use for work.

Although he was able to repair his house, he could not make up...


Read More

Taxi


"Due to the displacement, the illness of my son, and the loss of all my savings and my home in Raqqa, I am no longer able to bear these difficult living conditions all by myself." Kamel said.

Kamel is 61 years old man, worked in several fields, such as blacksmith for a period of time when he was in Raqqa, a valet parking for about 3 years in Lebanon, and when he settled in Aleppo, he resorted to the state function...


Read More

Sewing Workshop


The biggest loss for me was being forced to leave my workshop and sell all the machines I had. With these words, Vahe described his loss during the war.

Vahe is 47 years old, lives alone after his mother passed away 7 years ago, and the effects of war and shrapnel are still in his house until now.

He used to work in his own workshop before the war, and he had all the necessary sewing machines. After that, he sold them...


Read More

Lathing Machine


Khajadour, 55 years old, lives with his wife and two sons, and tries hard to secure a decent life for them. since he was young, he suffered from the harshness of life, as he left school early and started to work in a lathing workshop, where he learned this profession.

when he was just 22 years old. He was able to open his own shop and became very famous and developed himself through several professional courses within the country and even...


Read More

Dental Clinic


In this fast-moving age, with the development of education and modern technologies, people strive to secure jobs after graduating from colleges and universities. Despite their efforts, many young adults in different parts of the world have a frustrating experience of finding a long-term job.

Shagik Kevork, 24 years old, is a recent graduate of the Faculty of Dentistry, coming from a family with a small income consisting of four people. She graduated in 2022 and worked in laboratories and clinics to...


Read More

Manufacturing agricultural machines


Abdul Masih Shammo 72 years old, is from a simple family of three; they are originally from  Al-Hasaka City in northeast Syria.

He works as a blacksmith specializing in manufacturing all kinds of agricultural vehicle's accessories, such as harvesters, water tanks, and trucks, he learned this profession when he was only 20 years old.

In 1995 he moved from Al-Hasaka toward Homs city looking to start his own project in a new city, he worked there for 6 years but unfortunately, the...


Read More

Sewing Workshop


In 1992, Bashar started learning on the sewing machines from his uncle and practiced this profession with his brother. Then, they decided to open their own workshop, but unfortunately because of their father's death, they closed it.

During the war Bashar had to move to Mashta-Al Helou for more than four years. but there was only few sewing projects there, so he worked in restaurants to meet the needs of the family, and then returned to Aleppo after the end of...


Read More

Hairdresser


Without hard work, there is no success in life.

Finding and getting a job can be a challenging process. It is something very important to everyone and, unfortunately, most young men do not have jobs these days.

After spending several years exploring the job market; Youssef worked in several fields (cleaning dishes in a restaurant, sanitary installations, a sewing workshop, etc...) trying to find his career path.

the 21 years old, lives with his parents and his sister, with modest means of life...


Read More

Pharmacy


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...


Read More

Olive Land


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...


Read More

Organic Fertilizer Production


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....


Read More

Sewing Machines


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...


Read More

Nail Care Kit


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...


Read More

Photography


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...


Read More

Crafts and Souvenir Shop


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...


Read More

Sewing Machines


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,...


Read More

Mini-Market


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,...


Read More

Crafts and Souvenir Shop


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...


Read More

Car Repairing Workshop


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...


Read More

Aluminum Workshop


From his modest beginnings, Wissam's journey reflected resilience and determination. His path to mastering his profession began at an aluminum workshop in 2007. However, his dreams were interrupted by an 8-year-long mandatory military service. Despite the setbacks, he persevered, driven by his role as a husband and father of two young children.

In 2015, the life of this family took an unexpected turn when displacement forced them to leave their village, settling in a rented house in Homs city. Wissam's longed...


Read More

Barbershop


When someone has been through terrible trauma and they’re starting a new life from scratch, it’s not easy for them to recover especially if they were living in a post-war period like the case of Yazan Sayegh.

He is 25 and lives with his parents and sister in Kashkoul. Yazan was 18 when the family received the news of his brother’s death during his military service in Aleppo. Such news was devastating for the whole family especially Yazan who had to...


Read More

Perfume and Cosmetics Shop


Mariam always believed that there is no limit to what she could accomplish despite all the difficulties she had been through

She is 40 years old, divorced, and originally from Tartous but lives alone in a small room in Damascus. Mariam got married at a young age but after seven years she got divorced and returned with her kids to live at her parents' house in Tartous. She didn’t hesitate to continue her education and was enrolled at the trade and...


Read More

Laser Machine


Maram Mahfoud 31, is an independent, hardworking woman, who was always strong enough to stand alone in the face of difficult circumstances.

She lives with her parents in an old room in Bab Sharqi. Her father used to work at a sanitary maintenance workshop but after getting old, his health didn’t allow him to keep working which affected their financial conditions. Despite her young age, Maram decided to start working and support her parents so she enrolled in a make-up course...


Read More

Mini-Van


Johnny Fallouh is 33 years old, he is newly married and soon to be a father. In 2006, he started his career as a pastry chef and was passionate about this job but in 2011 he was called to join the military service and thought that it would be for two years and then he would go back to continue his normal life and the work he loves.

Unfortunately, his service coincided with the beginning of the war in Syria, it...


Read More

Wood Cutting Factory


With a deep wound in his heart, Jan Samaan was struggling each day to continue his life journey and improve his condition.

Jan was worked as a carpenter since 1990 as he established a carpentry workshop in partnership with his friend specializing in the field of kitchens and bedrooms. Together they worked hard to improve their business.

However, during the war, the carpentry work decreased and their income became not enough for both of them so his friend decided to end the...


Read More

Pick-up Truck


“All the incidents we went through during the years of war were no harder than holding my son bleeding and seeing him fighting death to survive”

This is how Samer explained his tragedies during the Syrian war.

Samer Deeb is 49 years old, married to Roula Memary, and has two sons Elias born in 2004 and Gabi born in 2006. He lives with his family and sick mother at a modest flat in Dwalaa area.

Before the crisis, Samer was working as a...


Read More

Pick-up Truck


Firas had to face enormous difficulties in his life as he was responsible for his sick mother and disabled sister in addition to the household demands so he started working as a mini-bus driver at a young age seeking direct income to afford the living expenses.

He was working on Darayya-Damascus transportation line but after the start of the war, it became very dangerous to work there then the area was closed due to the armed conflict making Firas lose his...


Read More

Electric Keyboard


As a talented musician, George's career started in 2006, he was playing his favorite instrument “the Electric Keyboard” in various locations performing beautiful musical sets.

George had a great passion for music and wanted to deliver his music love to everyone believing that this is an important message in his life, so he took classes at many schools and started teaching music to children until 2014 when the situation deteriorated badly and the teaching income was very low compared to the...


Read More

Blacksmith Workshop


Samaan is 35, unmarried, and lives with his parents and his grandmother. He has three brothers; Alaa and Jalal are married and live separately while Bashar is in military service which made Samaan the breadwinner of the house and responsible for his parents and his sick granny.

Before the war, his family lived in the village of Al-Adeedah, his father was a blacksmith so after turning 15, he started to help him at the workshop and learned the profession, in 2008...


Read More

Stationery Shop


As a determined man, age was never an obstacle in Youssef’s life.

He was a hard-working employee for more than 23 years at a governmental institution then he retired and started to do freelance work, seeking one target in his life which is providing his kids with a safe and comfortable environment.

During the crises, the situation started to decline and his income became unstable so he decided to collect his savings and start a small stationary shop in the neighborhood to...


Read More

Shoe-making Workshop


Nabil Farhat, a shoemaker for more than 25 years, is originally from Lebanon, came to Syria in the late eighties, learned the profession of shoemaking, and decided to continue his life in this beloved country.

He got married and had three kids and was very known in his field as many factories were dealing with him due to his meticulous professional work and kind attitude with customers, he considered Syria as his homeland and was feeling grateful to this country who...


Read More

Sewing Workshop