Accidents are a part of the human experience, causing injuries and sometimes permanent harm in more serious cases.

When Habib was still very young, he was subjected to an electric shock as a result of holding an electricity pole which caused damage to his fingers that had to be amputated after several operations trying to save them. This injury prevented him from performing many daily tasks, he could only work in a few fields, but Habib said: "Believe in what you can do and you're halfway there."

Habib still had the hope to work despite his injury, but his work was limited to selling clothes at first. After that, he moved to a shop that sells electrical parts, and when the business owner traveled, he started working in a supermarket in addition to food distributing for an association.

The family's house was slightly damaged as a result of the shells. But Habib's determination to work prompted him to apply for a taxi because his income was no longer sufficient during the difficult economic conditions.

The taxi will improve the income greatly and Habib can work on it despite his condition. He refused to give up despite all the challenges he faced throughout his life, having a taxi would hopefully compensate for the years he lost and help this strong man to start a new chapter.

“Living apart from our sons is very painful and dreadful". That’s how Jack and his wife described their loneliness of having to live alone after their two sons had to travel abroad looking for a better life away from the war and the unemployment situation they faced at the beginning of their youth.

jack started his professional life as an employee in a governmental foundation. When he retired, he rented his relative's taxi and worked on it for about two years. Later, the taxi owner sold it so jack switched to driving a private school bus, in addition to working as a truck driver for a medical factory.

Due to the war, the hard financial situation, and all the stress he suffered after his sons leaving, losing safety and stability of income, Jack's health was harshly affected; he had a heart attack, which caused him permanent vocal disability. After all those difficulties, Jack was still determined to work and be productive so he became an office boy at his neighbor's supermarket to secure his livelihood, but that job wasn't suitable for his medical situation or his age.

Jack applied in the Hope Center for a taxi, this support will provide the family with a better income and hopefully bring peace of mind for this lovely couple.

"We are the residents of the new Jisr Al-Shughur village. We fled the area, leaving our home and lands, even our clothes and memories there. We came to Aleppo, without hope, not knowing where to live, trying to start over.” Dawood spoke with sadness. He is one of the people who lost all their properties, homes, and jobs, and their whole lives changed when the war came along.

Dawood had been working in the police department for 31 years, and upon retirement, he wanted to find another source of livelihood, so he took a sewing course trying to enter that field, but it didn't work out. His eldest son works in a sewing workshop and is now responsible for his family expenses, trying to help his father as much as possible. The rest of the children haven’t finished their studies yet.

During the war, the family went to Latakia for two years escaping the shells, but after the situation in Aleppo settled, they returned to it and lived in the aunt's house until she decided to come back too, and now, seven people share living in this small house.

Dawood started working for a company in the countryside with a low salary. Having a taxi would help him transport the employees he works with every day, in addition to working all afternoons and evenings shifts on this cab to make better use of it and secure a good income for his big family. 

The war's impact affected Sami on several aspects of his personal and professional life, starting when he and his family; consisting of his wife and two beloved sons, were displaced from their home due to the shells.

They are now living in the uncle’s house, with minimal furniture, no fridge or washing machine.

After he was an employee for about two years, Sami became a driver of various types of vehicles, starting with a rented taxi. Later, he had to travel to Lebanon for two years. After he came back to Aleppo, he worked for a busses' company for five years.

As the war accelerated, the situation became worse, the company was closed leaving Sami unemployed for a while. His wife started working with elderly people, taking care of them with a small salary. At the same time, Sami was hired as a school bus driver at his son’s school, but the livelihood became very expensive. He was forced to find another job so he can properly support his family. 

Because Sami’s profession throughout his life was always in driving, he applied to the Hope Center for a taxi. This project will give him a stable source of income that can provide a better livelihood and a more promising future for his family.

It is difficult to lose your job or your source of income, especially since work requires great effort, which in turn affects health and this is what happened with Habib, the 52 years old father of four young children, who worked as a blacksmith his whole life, but can no longer continue in this craft due to pains in his knees, back, and joints.

Habib was worked as a blacksmith between workshops and didn’t have any equipment of his own, during this period, his income was low and no longer sufficient for his family of six, they also had to move to a bigger house because it got too small for them. He rented a house and worked on a taxi for 3 years taking extra shifts just to improve his situation and increase his profit. Habib sent his 19-year-old son abroad to complete his studies and work at the same time to secure his living expenses.

Because of his inability to return to his original profession, Habib decided to continue working on the taxi which is more suitable for his health condition, and is also a good source of income.

“my job currently makes very little and unstable income, that’s why I need this taxi to feel more self-dependent and secure the necessary basics for my family".

Many professions were affected negatively by the beginning of the war, as well as the raw materials industries which started to lose gradually.

Jean started making chandeliers in 2000, but his interest in this business began to fade away after the war and all its hardships. Due to the poor living conditions and as a result of the high costs of livelihood, Jean sold his car and his shop to be able to repair the damages of the family's house after it was hit by shells, they traveled to another governorate and returned to Aleppo after 10 months with all their savings drained that they had to sell the house too and live in a rented apartment. 

After returning to Aleppo, Jean has been working as a driver on the Beirut-Aleppo road from 2016 until now, but his lifestyle became more and more difficult, especially since the frequent travels prevents him from seeing his family, as it is the only source of livelihood for them.

All that Jean wants is to work, secure a good income, and gain more time with his family. Supporting him to buy a new taxi will get him out of serious financial trouble and give him the chance to compensate his three children for the tough times they lived in the past.

Jean had to fight against two massive obstacles in his life, the first was facing the harsh living conditions after the family house was damaged by a shell, and secondly, the health condition of his wife who is suffering from a neurological disease which only got worse after the shelling incident. 

The 58-year-old man is a father of three daughters, he was well known for his gold and silver crafting. Back in 1988, he and his brother owned a workshop. But due to the war, many thefts occurred simultaneously with the deteriorating economic situation, their workshop was robbed as well, so they decided to sell it.

Even in the most difficult times, Jean worked so hard to provide for his family's livelihood. He even had experience in several careers (driving - vending car spare parts, selling clothes, silver crafting.)

Later on, he moved to Latakia for a year and worked in a clothing store. When he came back to Aleppo, he opened a sandwich shop, but due to expensive rental costs, the project was closed. He was employed by a parking company, but working in this field wasn't sufficient in terms of income for the family growing needs.

“Although it is difficult to go back and start all over, I'm excited about initiating this project”. Jean said enthusiastically.

Today Jean wants to resume his work in silver crafting, but he still needs some tools and equipment which are very expensive these days. He will allocate a room in his house for work, and this support will be a second chance at reviving the skill that he loves and perfects.

Karnig said:” Since my childhood, I loved to watch goldsmiths, and I was fascinated by their skills in practicing this elegant art, I aspired to become like them one day. Over time, I began to broaden my knowledge and develop my expertise in crafting. I was able to learn gradually with the help of one of my relatives. Now, I have been working in this profession for over 20 years.”

Karnig was well known for his skillful work in silver crafting. he had a rented workshop in which he worked in addition to his shop to sell the products. By the time, Karnig was working and developing himself by purchasing all the needed equipment, but one day during the war period, his workshop was robbed, and none of the belongings was left.

Furthermore, Karnig’s family was displaced several years after, when a shell hit their house while the daughters were in it, and the house was greatly damaged. they had to move to a relative's house because they cannot afford another rent in these rough conditions.

Despite everything Karnig has faced, he started all over from scratch and bought the basic tools needed, but he still lacks some main machines and equipment to develop the business and increase production. 

Karnig’s project of Silver crafting allowed him to take a step forward in his career. With the micro support, he will be able to continue in the profession that he loves and regain some stability of livelihood for the family. 

Raffi is one of the people who set a goal for himself and strive with all his energy and effort to achieve it and become a successful person.

This single man used to live with his mother but after the war started, she traveled abroad, while his sister and her family stayed with him after they were displaced by the shells. Unfortunately, his sister's husband passed away affected by all the fear and tension he went through. 

It all began in 1992 when Raffi first started working with a CNC carving machine to engrave gold. He was an employee at that time. Later, in 2003, he took a step forward and decided to become independent when he opened his own business after gaining sufficient experience. But due to the lack of safety during wartime and the harsh financial situation, he had to sell his shop.

Raffi remained determined to reestablish his business, he saved to buy two CNC machines that create 2D shapes, in addition to renting a shop for a low price, but he needed a machine that can engrave metal and manufacture 3D figurines and metal structures. But due to the expensive prices of this kind of machine, he applied for the micro-projects program hoping that it would be the improvement he needs for his career.

When a family business unites tow generations it strengthens the relationship between a father and a son on so many levels. 44 years old Kevork and his 82 years old father Avedis not only share not only a family name and heritage but a whole career journey as they both are experts in Car body repair.

Avedis taught his sons everything he knew about cars mentored them and passed the skills and the basic knowledge hoping that they will carry on after him. His sons were not the only youngsters mentoring, through his long years in this profession he helped some of his employees to become independent and supported them to open their own workshops back in the day. 

All the good deeds this old wise man did back in the day came around after all these years, exactly when he needed help after the destruction and loss of his workshop. The young employee returned the favor to his mentor by putting his workplace and equipment at keveork and Avedis’ disposal until they figure out how to stand up again.

The father and son gathered their will and persistence and were able to reconstruct the damaged workshop when Bustan Al Basha was inhabited but the shortage in machinery and equipment was grave and they could not equip their workshop without the support that became crucial to their continuity and success.

"I thought I secured my family's future, but unfortunately, the war took away my work and savings, it left me with nothing” Georges spoke. 

It all began when Gorges took his family and fled from the war-stricken village, carrying only their clothes, leaving behind their home and their source of income.

Previously, Georges had his own house, land, and workshop, and everything was great until the war began; after being displaced in 2013, their first stop was Latakia. Georges was trying to find a job, but unfortunately, he couldn't get anything suited to his age, and his original profession in Aluminum crafting needed a big budget.

He soon applied for a job as a mini pick-up truck driver at a company located in Latakia, from 2013 till 2020, earning 50% from each shipment fee. Things were stable for a while, but when the livelihood costs increased rapidly, and the economic situation was getting worse by the day, everything changed. Georges and his family were once again reliant on the financial support sent by their daughter who lives abroad and the last bits of their savings.

The daughter offered her apartment in Aleppo for the family to live in, especially since the apartment is empty since she left. indeed Georges accepted the offer and moved back to Aleppo searching for a little hope.

When Georges found out about the Hope Center, he applied for a mini pick-up truck, a project that will enable him to work again, hoping that it would ensure his family a dignified life and a better future away from dependency. 

After their house was destroyed by the shells, all Boghos' efforts to migrate with his family to a safer place failed. His only choice was to separate from his family which stayed in Aleppo and move to Lebanon and work in a car suspension workshop, a domain he is well experienced in. 

The Lebanese regulations for Syrian residents made it hard for Boghos to stay, he was obliged to come back to Syria with nothing but his 25 years worth experience in car maintenance.

Although Boghos left his job and reunited with his family, he still had to take care of them financially, specially his younger son is still at school and only  his eldest one works part-time in a metal lathing workshop along with his university degree pursue in economics.

As the fiscal crisis took its toll of the family, Boghos's wife decided to help and ease the financial obligations. because Boghos was also the sole provider of his parents, and for those reasons, he wasn't able to purchase the necessary equipment he needed to establish his car maintenance workshop.

Today Boghos's goal is to begin his project and settle in a place of his own, which will become the family business in the future, and earn a good income with his large experience.

Hope Center decided to help him start his micro project, by purchasing the needed equipment and giving this hardworking man the opportunity he deserves.

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.

Elias Al-Ghabra is one of the minorities who are still interested in preserving the family profession as he began working in the field of manufacturing convection ovens with his father at a young age in a rental workshop in Jaramana and continued in the filed alongside his study.

The main field of work is manufacturing thermal ovens based on gas after the electric ovens stopped being demanded due to the terrible electricity situation in the country, their work increased and they also started to receive ovens maintenance orders. 

In 2010 Elias was called for military service and the war began shortly after he joined, so he was transferred to serve in Al-Hasakah Governorate until 2019, during which he went through difficult circumstances and faced many dangers. However, on his vacations, he used to return home and help his father in the workshop.

However, as a result of the significant increase in prices in addition to his mother’s battle with cancer and her treatment in Al-Biruni Hospital, their business deteriorated and the expenses became higher than the income forcing them to sell some of the equipment to cover the mother’s treatment expenses.

After Elias was discharged from service in 2019, he returned to work with his father, but the remaining equipment and materials were not enough to strengthen the work and have a proper income to cover the living expenses.

With the help of Hope Center, Elias was supported to purchase new machines to enable this intrepid young man to expand his work which will positively impact his living circumstances and help preserve the family's profession.

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 find better income to match the increasing costs of living.

Soon after, he started working at an event planning office as a photographer and videographer, but at the same time he was dreaming of having his own equipment that would enable him to establish private work and develop his career.

With the help of Hope Center, Alaa was supported to purchase a camera which was a dream coming true for him as he is able now to have his own photography session, and at the same time add his own signature which will empower his name in the field and open the chance of developing his work and improving his living conditions.

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 adversity struck, so he relocated his shop to the Al-Dukhanieh area in Damascus, but the situation wasn't any better there as violent incidents and armed conflict took place in the area which resulted in the loss of his shop.

Undeterred, he adopted a novel approach, distributing goods via electric bicycles until 2019 when he was called again for the reserve service for three years before resuming the distribution of goods and biscuits, using his brother's electric bicycle.

Presently, Dhyaa toils in the morning as a warehouse worker, and by dusk, continues his work on a bicycle, aspiring to have a pick-up truck for efficient distribution, which would improve his income and release him from the hard morning work. 

considering this tapestry of trials and challenges, Dhyaa was supported by the Micro project program to purchase his own pick-up truck hoping to empower his unwavering spirit in the face of adversity, improve his living conditions, and preserve his dignity.

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, the area was subjected to numerous incidents and his workshop was burgled making him lose everything he worked for in the previous years.

unfortunately, when Meneam decided to move his work to his living area in Al-Abbasein, he was sniped in the flank which put him in bed for several months until he recovered.

after that incident, Meneam decided to quit his profession and started working at cars office and then as a taxi driver, and later becoming a salesperson at shoes store, trying his best to afford the livelihood demands for his family and preserve their dignity.

Despite all financial strains that Meneam and his family faced, Yet he refused to succumb to despair, so he applied for the pick-up project at the Micro Project center.

Receiving funding for his project marked a new chapter—one filled with possibilities. It wasn't merely about starting a business; it symbolized resilience, hope, and the triumph of the human strong will over calamities.

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 setbacks, he ventured into charcoal distribution, utilizing a meager capital. However, soaring prices abruptly halted his work, leaving him with loss.

For Rafy, the taxi project he applied for, symbolized hope and stability in turbulent times, and having support to purchase his own taxi potentially rescued him from the brink of financial ruin.

It wasn't merely about financial gains for him; it was about reclaiming control over his life and promising a brighter tomorrow.

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. Despite his workload, Jean managed to pursue accounting and marketing courses in 2019.

He commenced his career as a photographer in 2019, honing his skills and preparing to be an independent photographer full of ambitions to start his business alongside collaborating with other professionals, trying to gain as much experience as possible.

While their household and furnishings are modest, Jean's family supports him as he navigates his career path. Receiving support from Hope Center, marks a turning point for Jean, offering him the opportunity to expand his own business, enhance his skills, and elevate his income.

For Jean, this support isn't just financial aid—it's his life dream, propelling him towards independence and self-improvement to secure a better future for himself and his family.

A talented and determined man is the least that can be said to describe Samwel Skeif. He is in his fifties yet, he still has the will and strength to keep learning and investing in himself. He started at a very young age to support his parents with living demands and so he worked as a tailor assistant, but he was clever and skilled enough to learn the profession and start his own sewing workshop which he ran for years until the conditions worsened; his job was affected badly forcing him to sell the machines in order to afford his family’s living expenses then he started to work in drawing and manufacturing sewing templates for different factories. 

Learning has always been a passion for Samwel, and even though he couldn’t finish his schooling education, he didn’t hesitate to enroll in several life skills courses such as fashion design training - TOT courses - speed reading courses - body language courses - and neuro programming.

Samwel got hired as a trainer at a development institution for design and sewing courses and he was so excited to transfer his knowledge and talents to others.

However, with the increasing costs of living, he wasn't able to provide his family with a decent living and he was thriving to have his own sewing workshop with the idea of turning part of it into a training center for sewing and designing courses.

Today, after being supported to start his own project, Samwel is so grateful to have this opportunity that will enable him to fulfill his passion for work and teaching and at the same time increase his income and improve his living conditions. 

At the age of fifteen, Eva Alshehadeh started to work at a hairdressing salon to support her family, since then, she started to learn everything related to this career including hairdressing, makeup, and nail care which gave her good experience in the field. Her father was deceased and she was the supporter of her mother and siblings so she was doing her best to afford the living demands, challenging all the difficulties of work and her health condition as she was suffering from sideropenia which caused her several symptoms and continuous feeling of tiredness.

In 2019, with the help of the church, Eva underwent Glandectomy surgery and her health condition started to improve, unlike her financial condition as the salon she was working at was closed and she found herself jobless.

Eva didn’t accept being dependent on aids especially since she became the only supporter of her mother so she started to work at customers' houses, using her old inappropriate tools, and touring from one house to another to have an income and cover the basic living needs of her family.

After applying at the Micro project center, Eva feels delighted because she was supported to establish her own makeup and nailcare center which will be the means to have an independent source of living and improve her living conditions.

Although she is still 22, Valentina was overloaded with life calamities and had to hold the responsibility of her family and her younger sisters in addition to taking care of her sick and heartbroken mother.

Valentina was living in safety and security with her family while her mother and father were doing their best to provide the best living circumstances for their girls. 

In 2013, this reality changed into a nightmare as their father was a victim of snipping while he was driving his car to work and the criminals took his body and the car. His family didn’t just have to handle his death news but also they had to pay an amount of money to have his body and do a decent funeral for him.

After that incident, the mother’s health deteriorated so she quit her job to take care of her daughters while Valentina started to work during her study time to support her family.

She started doing makeup and nail care for her relatives and friends then in 2018 she enrolled in several courses to enhance her skills then she started to work in different beauty salons trying her best to afford the livelihood of her family.

With time passing, Valentina discovered that her work was so tiring, and with no proper income, she quit and started to work for a percentage of profits waiting for a chance to have her project.

With great faith, Valentina applied at the micro-project center for support and despite her young age, this strong-willed lady was supported with all the tools and materials necessary to start her project because after all those hard years she deserved to be independent and have a decent source of income to help her family.

With more than 40 years of experience, Riadh Al-zawahra, a loving husband and father of two daughters Nour and Niveen, was still working as a tailor at a sewing workshop in Jaramana.

He started to learn the career at the age of ten, the same age he started to work and support his family then when he became experienced enough, he implemented all the steps of sewing and many workshops dealt with him.

During his life, Riahd was able to establish a lovely family and support his daughters to finish their education and work but due to the difficult years of war and the deteriorating economic condition, he wasn’t able to establish his own workshop.

“ All i wish after those hard-working years is to settle down, be my own boss, and have the ability to increase my income”.

Riadh applied at the Micro projects center, and considering his long experience and need to improve his living conditions, his request was approved as he got the required support to establish his own sewing workshop with all hope that this project would be a turning point in his future life and will give him the independency he longed for.

Being a mother of three young kids never prevented Raheel from working and supporting her family to pass through the years of war, while still trying hard to support her husband during the deteriorating conditions.

Raheel is a determined lady who started working as a seamstress at a young age and even after she got married she kept working at her sewing workshop in Damascus, until 2014 when the security situation became critical so she moved with her family to live in Jaramana.

Despite all the dangers and the daily shelling over Jaramana, Raheel and her husband kept working together to secure the best living for their kids. Together, they started a small shop for sewing and renting dresses where she worked in designing and making the dresses and her husband supported her in dealing with customers and the finishing.

However, with time passing, the electricity condition worsened and the shop income was no longer enough to put food on the table, while her machines became too old to use for professional sewing. So her husband decided to work two jobs in order to meet the living demands but his salary was still not enough due to the high costs of living.

Now, after supporting Raheel with new sewing machines and an electricity resource, she restored the ability to increase her work and get a decent income good enough to secure her and her family with good living. 

From a very modest but close-knit family who works to live, Beshara Al-mhanna was raised to become a hardworking man who started working at a young age to support his family.

He used to work in delivering vegetables on the village-city road but during wartime, the road became insecure and he decided to move to Damascus to study and work there. Beshara was a big-sized young man and as a result, he was exempted from military service so he kept working as a driver on different vehicles delivering any order to afford his living and support his family in the village.

Beshara was good at what he did but the high car rent wasn't sufficient to cover the increasing costs of living so he applied to the Micro-project program for the pick-up truck project planning to use the truck to deliver furniture and goods.

Considering his health condition, and determination to work, Beshara was supported to have the project he sought and he is now working his best to have more orders so that he can improve his financial condition and secure his family with a decent living.