Zawin is a hardworking person who strive for his family; his wife and two sons.

Zawin has been working in the production and upholstery of cars since 2005 and has added through his experience in the production of Arab Majlis seating. Zawin had to make a lot of sacrifices in his work, 5 years ago the place where he works was exposed to a fire that resulted in the loss of all existing equipment and goods. 

Living a decent life and supporting his family has become a constant struggle for Zawin, which forced him to borrow a machine from one of his friends in order for the family to survive, and he also works in a factory for the production and upholstery of car furnishing, his permanent goal in life is to obtain complete and permanent independence.

Zawin felt very grateful and joyful for the support, today he is motivated to achieve his goal in life and help his family to secure a dignified living. 

“Where words fail, music speaks.” That’s how George replied when we asked him about the reason behind his love for music. 

Since he was an 8-year-old, George was fascinated by music and the industry in general.

His parents decided to enroll him in a music institute where he chose to learn Cello, his love for music didn’t stop there, he used to go to his uncle’s studio to watch him produce music for many artists. After a short time, he started helping his uncle with his work for 15 years till the war started.

In 2011 George joined the army and served his country for 10 years, in this decade a lot changed; during this time, he lost many of his friends in the army and his family was in danger back home, it was very tough for him to go through all that by himself.

After finishing his service George found himself back at the starting point, not knowing what to do and where to head. Despite everything, he refused to give up and decided to follow his passion for music and try to turn it into a career.

With a big dream and lots of plans, he applied for the Micro-Projects program to get the support he needed to start. Now George has a small studio in which he records and produces music for many local artists.

George is married and has worked in the carpentry profession since childhood with more than 40 years of experience, he had a full workshop with a kit, but because of the war he lost the workshop with the entire equipment, unfortunately, he cannot return to his former work area because its still under control of armed groups.

During war his home was exposed to a shell explosion, which led to great damage to the house, as a result, the family was displaced for more than 10 years. 

Because of his great experience in His profession and his desire to develop his business, George applied to the Micro Projects in order to buy a machine that helps him save time and increase his income, George launched his project and added new models to his work that helped him bring new customers, which led to an increase in his monthly profits.

The Micro Projects Program was able to achieve one of George's goals, to help him strive to work harder and develop faster. 

Hilda is a lovely married woman who works in the church and her husband works as a driver for the church as well, because of the difficult life that Syrian families are going through, Hilda's family went through harsh conditions, which led to financial burdens, the earthquak made things worse because their house was greatly damaged.

when we are exposed to immense loss, we try to look for any small light in order to start a new chapter in life even if it is delayed; Hilda started working in knitting and she was sending the pieces that need a stitch and a knit to a sewing shop, as she does not have the necessary machines, which was for her a waste of time and great difficulty in receiving a larger number of customers, so Hilda decided to apply to the center to develop her small project in home sewing, in order to save time and increase her family's income.

Micro Projects Program was able to help Hilda to be able to take a step forward in her field of work and to overcome the difficulties she faces in her daily life. 

Elias is an example of the patient and strong father who faces life’s challenges for his family, Elias is married and has two sons, one of whom is serving in military, life challenged Elias differently at each stage, in the period of war he was displaced from his home, and his son was exposed to a war injury during his mandatory service time. 

Corona came to be one of the most difficult periods he went through; it kept him away from his work and family, but as Elias said:  "Our Mother Mary did not abandon me and helped me overcome this ordeal." Elias now works as a guard in a private school in Aleppo with a low salary, he wants to improve his income, so he decided to apply for a taxi, which he sees as a strong source in order to meet the requirements of life and his family's expenses.

At the end of the meeting Elias said that his dream is to be able to buy a taxi so he can be more financially independent, and he achieved this dream to be his first strong step in the face of life hardships.

The years of war were not easy for Fadi's family, however, it didn't stop them from pursuing their dreams of living in peace and stability. Fadi’s family suffered a lot during the war, especially in the first years as Fadi is a resident of the village of Al-Jadeeda in the Idlib countryside, which is one of the Christian villages in the city of Idlib. He was displaced with his family from the village after they were besieged by armed groups.

At the beginning of the war in 2011, Fadi volunteered to defend his land against the armed groups, then He was discharged from the army in 2021 after serving for ten years.

Before the war, Fadi worked in the aluminum craft in his village. He had a shop since 2004, but he lost it afyer leaving the village towards Kasab. In his last years of service, he worked in this profession during his spare hours intending to return to it after service..

After his discharge, he moved to Aleppo to settle there and began working in the aluminum field, but his income was not enough to secure the family’s needs, and he strived hard to start his project to secure a sufficient source of income for his family.

The Micro Projects Program was able to fulfill this family's dream of stability, and Fadi now has his own shop, which will enable him to provide a decent life for his family.

Elias is a strong man who defied the difficulties of life for the sake of his family’s happiness despite all the harsh circumstances he went through. 

Elias is married and has three children, he suffered a lot during the war; he had a taxi in 2014, but unfortunately it was destroyed by a shell in 2016, despite the difficulty of the situation he was able to overcome this incident for the sake of his children and started working as a driver for a local institution with a modest salary.

Elias held-on to hope, his many losses during the war did not disappoint him, and despite the suffering of life, he was not satisfied with his little income, he kept searching for an opportunity to improve his situation and a ray of hope that would change his life; for him it was a taxi that he would work on after his shift to help him secure a better income, Elias applied for micro projects and upon approval his joy was indescribable. Today Elias looks forward to starting a new life chapter full of hope and blessings.

Naeem is an example of strong personality who will face crises with positive adaptation without suppression or confusion, married and has two sons, he works in the field of sanitary installations, solar energy installation and electricity extension.

Naeem tried to develop himself in his domain of work despite all the difficulties and challenges he faced, he is a creative person who added with his experience of more than 15 years working in the field of central heating, he rented a shop in order to start a stable life and a small family. 

Despite many difficulties and the war that hit Aleppo, Naeem did not leave the city and remained working hard to secure a good future for his children, his house was damaged by the earthquake and he did not despair and was able to restore it.

Naeem applied for the necessary equipment which will help him increase his income and secure the needs of his family. He believes that everything will turn out for the best, and that tomorrow is more beautiful, Hopefully this project will be the beginning of beautiful days for him and his family.

Samar is a mother of three children and a clinical nutritionist, she obtained her degree in food technical engineering from the city of Aleppo, and works in the field of food engineering in several clinics affiliated with the churches. 

Samar is a persistent woman; despite all the difficulties and challenges, she completed her studies during war, and did not give up her childhood dream. She had a strong desire to open her own center, specializing in following up the conditions of pregnant women and also cases of growth in children, diabetes, in addition to Botox injections in the stomach to treat obesity. 

The war was harsh on Samar and her family, in 2013 her husband was kidnapped and they had tp pay a ransom of  5000$, her husband's factory was robbed in 2014, the family was also displaced to Latakia because their area of residence was unsafe, Samar did not despair despite all the hardships, she was able to work in the National Hospital in Latakia for 3 years and then returned to Aleppo in 2019 

Samar applied to the center to get support for her project with the needed devices. The new phase in Samar's life has now begun with ambition and determination to continue her passion in life

Dr. Ghassan have been working in the clinic for more than 30 years, he has extensive experience in the field of dentistry, his work was greatly affected during the war because his place was exposed to a lot of shells, and when the area became safe, he decided to develop his clinic's devices because the equipment was worn-out that it became dilapidated.

The earthquake destroyed all Ghassan’s dreams for the enhancement of his clinic and his house from which he and his family were able to get out safe and sound, and because life must go on, Ghassan decided to submit an application in order to develop his project with support from the Micro Projects.

Ghassan held-on to hope despite all the difficulties of life that he faced in the past, the strength that he possesses despite all the challenges and crises that he went through, his patience and will can overcome every painful hardship.

Dr. Ghassan launched his project with the new devices that helped him develop the clinic and achieve part of his dreams that he patiently longed for. 

Since childhood, Masses has been ambitious snd creative, he works in the field of women's hairdressing, his profession depends on good taste in order to satisfy customers, he has practiced this profession since childhood with at least 30 years of experience, Masses wants to develop his long-standing project, however, the equipment that he has is old and worn out due to daily use but he cannot afford a new set. 

“in our days the generator fees is consuming our inccome but we cannot work without it”.

Masses decided to work on an alternative plan in order to reduce this attrition and bring a generator that helps him increase his income from the project, and he also applied for the support of the necessary equipment.

Masses overcame all the difficulties he faced in his field of work economically and even in terms of the crisis he went through after his house was damaged by the earthquake, which was severe damage that prevented him from returning to his home, which is considered unsafe for hsbitstion to this day, All these difficulties increased his determination to move forward with a smile of hope facing all life challenges.

Shant is a passionate person, aspiring to be proficient in his work, self-reliant, in order to secure a decent life for his family; Shant is married and a father of two, he works day and night for the wellness of his family.

Shant works in the profession of car spraying, and has extensive experience in this field, he currently works in a workshop but the equipment is not his, and the wage he receives is not commensurate with his experience and insufficient for the requirements of life.

During war people are exposed to many material and physical losses, this period was difficult for Shant, he lost his shop and equipment. His mother, father and sister were injured in the war, Shant wants to be independent in his work, so the idea of applying for his own project through the Micro Projects Support was a ray of hope, Shant started his project and is now working with passion and enthusiasm in order to achieve his life goals and take good care of his loving family.

Fania's life took an unexpected turn when her husband, Bassam, fell ill, leaving him unable to provide for their family. With a studying son to support, her mother-in-law, and her husband's health deteriorating, Fania knew she had to act fast. 

Determined to secure a future for her family, she seized the opportunity presented by their small shop. With hope, She applied for assistance from the Micro Projects Program, seeking support to stock shelves, buy a refrigerator, and purchase goods to transform the shop into a mini-market and dairy shop, envisioning a lifeline for her family.

Her shop flourished and Bassam will find solace in being able to contribute as much as possible. 

Through her microproject and the support of the program, Fania not only sustained her family's livelihood, but also inspired others with her resilience in the face of hardships.

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 cosmetic shop as the lifeline that could sustain her family. Recognizing the potential of her idea, she applied to the Micro Projects Program for assistance.

With the program's support, Sawsan successfully opened her cosmetic shop, transforming it into a source of livelihood. This endeavor not only provides for her family's immediate needs, but also promises a better and more stable future. 

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 system was installed. This transformative solution allowed him to overcome the interruptions caused by power outages, ensuring a stable environment for his electronic repair work. With all the necessary tools at his disposal, he can now pursue his profession without constraints, securing a reliable source of income to support his family.

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, causing financial strain. Determined to address this issue, Nassouh took the initiative and applied to the Micro Projects Program for a solar power system. 

This innovative solution promises to ensure a consistent and uninterrupted energy supply for their shop, also securing a more stable income for their mini-market and family.

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 essential equipment to alleviate the burdensome costs of cultivation. However, the high prices rendered stood in his way. 

Now with a mini-cultivator, Elias not only safeguards his livelihood but ensures a better agricultural practice, thanks to the Micro Projects Program that transformed his aspirations into reality. 

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 and Salim's workshop fell victim to theft. In 2012, the family relocated to a village near Homs, where he, desperate to make ends meet, took on various jobs but the hope of reclaiming their lost life decreased, forcing Salim to borrow money from a relative.

He purchased second-hand equipment and worked in the village until 2021. Rising rental costs in the village led the family back to Homs, where he borrowed once more to repair the house and workshop. Amidst these challenges, a disc disease struck him, necessitating surgery and deepening his financial burdens. Forced to sell his workshop to settle debts, he acquired a small shop in Al-Hamidia neighborhood.

Unable to return to his former profession due to health constraints, he ventured into metal and copper welding. In pursuit of stability, he applied to the Micro Projects Program, hoping for support in rebuilding his life. With optimism in his heart, Salim aimed to provide for his family through the newfound opportunity of his small shop in Al-Hamidia.

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 a turning point for the struggling farmer. 

The assistance he received allowed him to plow his land without the burden of increasing rental costs. Elias and Nazha could now breathe a sigh of relief, knowing that their hard work could sustain their family and keep their olive land flourishing for generations to come.

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, compounded by poor electricity supply.

In the time of need, the Micro Projects Program was there to support Nidaa with an electric generator, essential tools, and materials, enabling her to enhance her home-based salon. This support not only improved her working conditions but also boosted her income, providing vital assistance to her family during challenging times.

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 family's livelihood rested on his shoulders as their sole provider.

In his pursuit of a brighter future, Mamdouh applied for assistance through the Micro Projects Program. With the support, he was able to acquire an electric generator and the necessary tools to revive his floor grinding and polishing business. This not only improved their work conditions but also ensured a steady income for his family. 

For a man who spent more than ten years of his life in the military service, living a normal life was all that Azeez Wassouf was seeking.

He is 31, originally from a small coastal village called Al-Khrab, where he spent his childhood and started his career as a barber until the Syrian war began and he was called for military service spending the next decade in the service dreaming of going back to his old life and having the chance to establish his own family.

Azeez was discharged from the service in 2020, but his dream of having a normal life was further than he expected because the country was going through an economic crisis and his hometown village was suffering from a lack of job opportunities so he had to move to Damascus, the capital, looking for proper job and better income.

Azeez wasn’t lucky to find such an opportunity because his long service prevented him from learning any profession or improving his career so he found no solution but to rent a taxi and start working as a taxi driver to save as much as he could and soon after, he met his first love and decided to defeat all the challenges and marry her to have the family he dreamed of.

The couple started to work together along to secure their living which wasn’t an easy mission during the current circumstances but with the help of Hope Center, Azeez was supported to have his own taxi which would provide him with a sustainable source of income to secure a decent living and ensure a promising future.

Based on some simple tools, Johnny Gibran was able to work for many years in the field of mobile phones' maintenance, a skill he gained after working as a maintenance worker in his beginnings. During that period, he was able to learn the profession and take on the full work in return for a monthly salary through which he could cover the costs of daily life and take care of the household expenses, especially since his parents were old and he was the breadwinner for the family

Johnny was working hard, trying to provide a decent living for his parents, and seeking at the same time to save some money to start his own project but the income he made was barely enough to secure the daily food, and like any young man his age, he was striving hard, trying to secure an opportunity to build his future.

After visiting The Micro Projects program, Johnny was supported to purchase the necessary tools and maintenance supplies so that he could start his own maintenance workshop. Hopefully, this project would be a new beginning in Johnny’s life that would help him to be independent in his work and able to secure a better living for himself and his family.

Michel has always been a hardworking young man who strives to be self-reliant and works hard to support his family, which consists of loving parents, a brother, and a sister.

He is 27 and lives with his family in an old house in the Al-Dwalaa neighborhood, in Damascus. 

Michel began his working life at an early age as he used to work after school in a barbershop until he learned the profession well.

Once he was in his twenties, he decided to become independent so he started a barber shop in the neighborhood where he was living and despite the simple tools, his work started to grow and he had many customers from the neighborhood. However, after a period, Michel discovered that he suffered from Aortic Valve insufficiency and needed to undergo heart surgery to survive.

Indeed, with the help of several church associations, Michel was able to undergo the operation, which was successful, but unfortunately, he was no longer able to perform his daily activities normally, especially since his work requires standing and bending for long hours, which was very difficult for him.

This self-made young man preferred to endure the fatigue of work rather than remain unemployed or reliant on others, and he visited the Micro Project Center and applied for support to purchase a hydraulic barber chair that would make it easier for him to continue in his work.

Today, Michel is so grateful because he is able to keep working without making extra effort that might affect his health condition, and at the same time he is still effective and able to handle his own living. 

Being the head of a family and the father of three kids and finding yourself unable to feed them or provide a decent living is a very hard feeling and may sometimes lead to despair, as in the case of Louay Thabet, 29, married and has Sarkis, Michel, and Fadi.

Louay was working as a pick-up driver in the town of Maaloula where he was living with his family, but after the start of the war, Maaloula was exposed to many dangers and destruction. As a result, the family lost their house, which was destroyed, and had to sell the pick-up car so that they could handle the costs of moving from their town to Jaramana.

After a short period, Louay was called for military service during which he got married and moved to live with his wife at his in-law’s house, soon after, he was injured by shrapnel in his foot and was discharged.

Louay tried to work and afford his family’s living but due to his condition, he was unable to regain his normal life or practice any job so he started working as a taxi driver so that he could secure the household expenses and meet the needs of his three children which was very difficult with the increasing prices and the high rent of the taxi.

With the help of Hope Center, Louay was supported to purchase his own taxi which is a suitable project for his condition and the opportunity he was looking for to provide him with a sustainable source of income and preserve his dignity. 

Although Michel was always from the A students of his school, he had a passion for making sweets, that is why after he finished the baccalaureate, he registered at the engineering institute and in the afternoon worked in a sweets shop to gain experience and do the job he loves dreaming of having his own project in the future.

With the beginning of 2011, Michel was called for military service and had to pass through severe circumstances for more than three years during the service until he was discharged.

Michel went back home and found out that his father was suffering from several health issues that prevented him from working and the financial condition of his family was very bad so he put his dreams aside and started working two jobs a day just to afford the basic living demands in addition to his father’s medication.

The tough days that Michel witnessed had created a strong man that is willing to do his best to live in dignity without being in need of anyone but no matter how long hours he spent at work, the increasing costs of living were defeating him and he was in desperate need of having his own source of living.

With the help of Hope Center, Michel was supported to have his own sweets and shakes shop in Jaramana, giving this determined man the chance to achieve his endeavors in having the project he was dreaming of hoping that it will also help in securing a decent life for his family.

Somer has always been passionate about the hairdressing profession, and ever since he finished his baccalaureate, he began to work for experienced hairdressers in order to learn the profession so that he could have his own salon in the future and become self-dependent without relying on anyone, especially since his father used to work as a tiler and due to his health condition, was no longer able to carry out strenuous work so the greatest burden of providing the household expenses fell on Sumer and his brother.

In 2011, Somer was called for military service, and like many young men his age, he remained in the reserve service until 2020, during which he endured the horrors of war and lost everything he had saved from his previous work. When he was discharged and wanted to start again, the economic condition of the country was very bad and he did not have the fund to start his project, so he returned to working at a salon with a monthly salary that was barely enough to cover the expenses of daily life.

Somer's only hope to have start own business was to get support and with the help of the Hope Center, he was able to purchase the tools and equipment that enabled him to establish his hairdressing salon using a room of his house. Somer was grateful because this support was a chance to be independent and help improve his living conditions.

Lilian Abou Nemer has always been a self-dependent woman who didn’t accept desperation in her life as she insisted on working hard in order to support herself and her kids without needing anyone’s help. 

She used to live with her husband and kids in Heineh village but unfortunately, she wasn’t in a good relationship with her husband so she started to work as a school teacher and support herself then she learned the nail care profession and when she became unable to tolerate the bad treatment from her husband, she asked for a divorce and moved with her kids to Damascus where she rented two rooms in an Arabic old house and started to work as a nail beauty artist in different centers depending on the percentage she was taking to afford the living expenses.

Despite the difficulties of being a woman responsible for three kids within the current circumstances, Lilian was struggling to provide a decent livelihood and good education to her kids, the tools she was using weren’t sufficient to increase her work and have a good income.

With the help of Hope Center, Lilian got the support required to buy all the tools and materials to establish her nail care center hoping that this project will help her to have a sustainable source of income and preserve her dignity.

Raising children and taking care of them has always been Ruba’s passion and to fulfill this passion she studied at the faculty of education and then enrolled in several educational courses to help her specialize more in this field and started working as a teacher in Yabrud area in the countryside of Damascus. However, after the start of the war in Syria, the area of Yabrud became under threat, forcing Ruba and her family to move to the city of Damascus where she also took a job as a teacher and volunteered in her spare time to teach children with the Sisters of the Sacred Heart, trying to provide the benefit to everyone who needed it.

Deep inside, Ruba was always dreaming of having her own children's care center so she could have a space of innovation, and the ability to improve her financial condition, so she managed to get some help from her father to start her project but the amount she got was only enough for the kindergarten rent and some assets which made her unable to receive many kids and provide them with proper services.

With the help of Hope Center, Ruba was supported with all the tools that will improve the situation of her kindergarten and provide the kids with comfort and a useful environment, in addition to supporting Ruba to have the project that she always dreamt of.

Ayham Almhanna is from Daraa governorate in south Syria, he used to live there with his parents and siblings and was raised to be a self-dependent and hardworking man who started supporting himself and his family from a young age.

Like many of his age, Ayham had to serve in the military service for more than nine years during the Syrian crisis where he had to encounter several dangers in Aleppo and Damascus in addition to experiencing great fear when his brother Nour was kidnapped by the armed groups in Daraa and the family had to pay a ransom of money for his release.

However, after Ayham was discharged in 2021, he found out that the security situation in Daraa was critical and it was impossible to work or have a normal life there so he decided to settle in Damascus hoping for better work opportunities, but with no career of experience Ayham couldn’t find any proper job so he rented a taxi and started working long hours daily seeking to afford his living and send the rest to his family in Daraa which wasn’t possible with the high rent he was paying to the taxi owner leaving Ayham with some money that was barely enough for his daily food. 

With the help of Hope Center, Ayham was supported to have his own taxi hoping to provide this young man with the chance to improve his living and support his family in the village.

Success isn’t always about greatness, most of the time, it is about strong will and hard work.

Like the case of Fares Al-Sbeih who is 29, single, and lives with his family at his uncle’s house in Damascus.

Fares was one of many who became adults during a critical time in Syria, a time of war, destruction, and fear but he didn’t accept to let despair sneak into his heart.

On the contrary, he started working at a young age to handle his own expenses and help with the house demands then when the security situation started getting worse, he decided to travel to Lebanon where he took two jobs a day trying his best to send money to his family.

In 2022, the economic situation in Lebanon deteriorated badly so Fares returned to Syria, paid the military fees, and started working as a taxi driver in partnership with his cousin which wasn’t enough to have a decent living as he had to pay for the car rent and share half the profits.

As the breadwinner of the family, Fares was looking for better opportunities to improve his condition so when he learned about the Micro Project program in Damascus, he didn’t hesitate to apply for the Mini-van project.

Today, after being supported to purchase the Mini-van, Fares started to transport students to their schools, take passengers to the airport, and put plans to expand his work in the future full of determination to succeed in his aims.

For most of his life, Simon had to count on himself to encounter the great responsibilities he was holding as his parents’ health was unwell and he was the breadwinner of the house and the supporter for his four sisters.

As a result, he traveled to Libya at a young age and worked as a goldsmith for about four years, then he had to return to Syria because his father had to undergo Heart surgery and he had to look after him.

Simon worked as a goldsmith until 2011 but after the war began, his profession deteriorated, so he turned to working as a taxi driver working as hard as he could to afford his family’s living.

“I can’t take a day off from work, because the day I don’t work, we don’t eat”

This is what Simon said when he visited the micro project center to apply for the taxi project because during the current economic situation in the country and after becoming a father to a newborn baby, he became unable to pay the high taxi rent and at the same time afford his parents’ expenses. 

Supporting this self-made man to have his own taxi was the best way to preserve his dignity and enable him to earn a better income to handle the increasing costs of life.

“It's really unfortunate when you have everything you dream about to wake up the next day and find it's all gone.

We were living in Alzabadani town in prosperity as we owned land planted with walnut trees, a villa with a swimming pool, a carpentry workshop, and a wood warehouse.

My husband was a carpenter and our financial situation was very good, but all of that disappeared overnight and we found ourselves fleeing under bombing and sniping, with only our clothes on, looking for a shelter to stay alive.”

That's how Lody Nakad 57, summed up her story with deep sorrow.

she lives with her husband and three children in a rented flat in Jaramana city.

This shift in their life was very hard for all of them but they had great faith in God so her husband started looking for alternative careers to afford the living expenses while Lody started working at a clothes company as a seamstress specialized in sewing kids’ clothes. She was trying her best to support her kids and continue their education, resulting in her son Shehadeh studying the specialty of orthopedics, her daughter Ranim studying neurosurgery, and her other son Fadi in the third year of informatics engineering.

together, they were trying to overcome their losses but the journey was hard and full of obstacles, especially under the current economic situation in the country.

Today, after supporting Lody with the sewing machines and tools to establish her own sewing workshop, she started to feel that she restored part of her missing life as she has her own independent income that will enable her to have a better living condition and secure her family's future.