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

Graphic Clothes Printing


Abdullah Hatem, a hardworking 31-year-old with an entrepreneurial mindset, started his journey from a young age. He worked alongside his father, who owned a car mechanic workshop, but Abdullah did not envision himself working in the same field. Instead, he developed a keen interest in the art of garment printing. In 2012, he embarked on his journey and worked towards starting his own project and owning a workshop.

Abdullah's determination and hard work allowed him to save every penny he earned,...


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Car Maintenance


Kevork is a 53-year-old skilled mechanic with over 30 years of experience in car maintenance and mechanics. He used to work in his workshop, which he owned since 2005. However, when the war started, his house in Aleppo was damaged by the ongoing shelling. As a result, he was forced to make the difficult decision of selling the equipment he had acquired through years of hard work and moving to Lebanon with his family.

From 2015 onwards, he resided in Lebanon...


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Taxi


Bassil Mssedy, a dedicated father in his 50s, worked as a blacksmith for 15 years in the industrial city of Aleppo. Unfortunately, the aftermath of the war made him jobless. The industrial area, once thriving, now lay in ruins.

Bassil and his wife used to reside in a rented house in Al Midan, an area that was heavily bombarded during the war. Tragedy struck one fateful day when a missile destroyed their home. Miraculously, they had left the house just an...


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CNC Carving Machine


George Tabbakh is a skilled CNC machinist with 15 years of experience. He began his career in 1997 until 2002 when he decided to start his own business and invest in a metal lathing machine. George has always had a passion for personal development and enjoys immersing himself in new learning experiences. Aware of the potential of 3D printing and mechanical drawing, he attended numerous workshops and courses to enhance his skills with software like SolidWorks.

In 2008, George purchased his...


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Car Mechanics Workshop


Vahe Tashjian is a 56-year-old mechanic with 23 years of experience. In his younger years, he worked in Kuwait, but he later moved to Aleppo, where he found employment in various companies. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of war, the companies closed down, leaving him jobless. 

Vahe has always dreamt of owning his own workshop, but his previous attempts were unsuccessful due to the need for financial resources, in 2022, he briefly went to Dubai but got very ill. In less...


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Taxi


Aziz is a determined young man, recently married to Rasha and waiting for their first born child.

He worked as a driver since 2009 and continued working in this job during his ten-years military service in Damascus, Rasha works as a nurse in a hospital and they live in a modest rented house. 

During his service aziz was injured in the leg then he was discharged and he started looking for a job to secure his life and future. His parents decided...


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Taxi


Antoine had a good life before the war working as a hairdresser with great skill and many customers, in 2013 he was called for military service and had to serve for nine long years in Aleppo's suburbs which affected his health greatly as he was subject to many injuries from explosions.

Antoine suffered from a neurological condition that caused trembling in his hands and he no longer was able to continue in his original career of hairstyling, even grabbing the scissors...


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Tailoring Workshop


Haytham's journey in the world of tailoring began in 1988, Aleppo, During the war Haytham faced a great loss when his workshop in Shekh Maksoud was completely destroyed and all of his sewing machines and tools were stolen. He used to work alongside his brother for a short period of time, but circumstances led them to separate and focus on their individual projects. Haytham received his share of the profits, which he had planned for his own project, but instead,...


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Taxi


Antoine is 28 years old, married and a father of a 1 year old lovely boy, he has served in the military for almost the last ten years of his life which has robbed him of any opportunity to pursue a career and build a future for his family.

with no experience and a very harsh economic situation of the country, Antoine put a lot of thinking of his next step in life, he looked for any job that would help...


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Sewing Machines


Salem Kadah, a 40-year-old tailor, chose to follow in his father's footsteps and become a tailor himself. Before the war, he worked alongside his father. However, after his father passed away in 2003, Salem forged his own path and began working in jeans production, distributing products to high-end brands. Unfortunately, due to the outbreak of war, his business was disrupted, which forced him to look for alternative sources of income.

In 2016-2017, Salem attempted to revive jeans production but faced significant...


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Barbershop


Mardiros a young barber with seven years of experience, he lives with his mother and bears the sole responsibility of being the family's breadwinner. As a talent in his craft, Mardiros was longing for the security and independence that came with owning his own barbershop. However, the lack of supportive environment and economic challenges of the country left him hesitant to take the leap. He meticulously calculated every aspect, and despite numerous attempts, he remained doubtful as it posed a...


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Photography and design


Nancy Samaan, an ambitious young girl from Tartous, graduated from the Faculty of Fine Arts and later relocated with her family to Aleppo. Nancy always had a clear vision of her passion for graphic design and poured her heart and soul into her work.

At a young age, in 2018, Nancy started her career as a graphic designer. However, she soon realized that her previous job didn't provide the opportunities she needed to improve her skills and profession. Determined to grow,...


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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...


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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...


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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....


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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...


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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...


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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...


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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...


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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,...


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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,...


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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...


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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...


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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...


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Gold manufacturing workshop


"We were displaced from our village in Homs to Damascus countryside, lost our house and work, and had to start from zero in a different place and difficult condition"

This is how Elias summed up his story in the past years of war. 

Elias was living with his wife and kids in a small village called Alqraiteen in the countryside of Damascus, he was working as a goldsmith doing all the stages of gold manufacturing in addition to working as a gold...


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Taxi


Fady has always believed that if he wanted to do something, he would find a way no matter how hard the circumstances were.

He is 32, married, and has two little daughters Mira and Mila. He lives beside his parents and younger brother in Al-Dwallaa neighborhood, his parents are retired and his brother is still at university which made Fady responsible for their living.

Fady graduated from Communications High School in 2008 then he got employed at the Ministry of Oil as...


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Taxi


Being a driver is the only job that Maher has ever known, at the beginning of his twenties, he traveled to Lebanon and started working as a private driver at Al-Fursan organization for Disabled People, his income was good enough to provide him with a decent living, and save some for his future.

However, as a result of the crisis in Syria, his mother and siblings fled to live with him in Lebanon depending on him for all their expenses which...


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Sewing Workshop


Wissam had always been a hard worker. It was something that had been ingrained in him since childhood. His parents had both passed away when he was young, leaving him to fend for himself. But that didn't stop him from succeeding in life. After years of working as a sewing apprentice, he had eventually become a work partner in a small sewing workshop.

Things were going well for Wissam and his family until tragedy struck. In 2001, his partner passed away,...


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Mobile maintenance shop


Fouad Sioufy is 26 years old and lives with his mother and brother in a rented flat in Jaramana, his mother is an employee at Alzahrawi Hospital and her salary is very low and his brother is still in the first year of Business Management college.

Since his childhood, Fouad and his siblings used to see their parents fighting, and soon after his father left the house and ignored all responsibilities toward his family and kids which forced Fouad to be...


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Taxi


At the age of 67, Antoun was still fighting against life difficulties as he was forced to work day and night so he could put food on the table at the end of the day.

For most of his life Antoun worked as a driver on different vehicles and gained a lot of experience, he was determined on providing his family with good living and tried his best to secure their future.

Unfortunately, such an aim was not available in his condition...


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Taxi


For more than 30 years, Farhan Alkhalil was driving around streets day and night, trying to cope with changing circumstances and provide his kids and wife with the best living conditions.

Such endeavors might be easy for many, but surviving was the main issue that all people sought in Syria during the past few years.

Farhan Alkhalil is 56 years old; he was married to Georgina Harrouq but they got separated six years ago. He has two sons Jerios born in 1999...


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Pick-up Truck


Subhi grew up in the small village of Elmismyah, surrounded by rolling hills and fields of green. As a young man, he worked hard in his construction business and owned several tools to help him with his trade. Life was good, and Subhi was proud of all that he had accomplished.

But in 2013, everything changed. The armed groups entered the area and took everything that Subhi had worked so hard for. Overnight, he found himself without a business and without...


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Dental prosthesis laboratory


Mousa grew up in a small, loving family in a town that was known for its olive plantations. His father works as a government employee, his mother is a dedicated housewife, and his sister is attending college. Although they were not wealthy, they lived a comfortable life, full of laughter and love.

After completing his education in Dental Prosthetics, Mousa had to face the harsh reality of finding a job. With no opportunities in his hometown, he decided to move to...


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Taxi


George had always been a hard-working man who lived his life with unwavering grit and determination. He spent his entire career working as a government employee, saving every penny he earned to offer a better life to his family. He lives with his parents, wife, and daughter in small two rooms that he shared with his divorced sister, whom he supported financially.

In 2010, George decided to take a leap of faith and purchased a taxi. He had taken a loan...


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Sewing Workshop


Jamila had always been a hardworking woman. For over two decades, she and her husband had been working tirelessly in the sewing industry. They had started out working for Jamila's sister who owned her own sewing workshop. It was there that Jamila and her husband developed their skills and learned everything they needed to know about the business.

In 2017, after working for so long and having learned everything, they decided that it was time to open their own workshop. They...


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Pick-up Truck


George had shouldered a lot of responsibilities at a young age. He lives with his disabled father, mother, his wife, and her sister, all under one roof. His wife works as a teacher in a public school while her sister works at a wax factory for people with special needs, but their combined income barely makes ends meet.

George had finished high school and went straight to the army, where he served for seven long years. Unfortunately, tragedy struck when he...


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