Costantin was building a name for himself in the market and planning a successful career as a car electrician and mechanic, when the war started and interrupted not only his career but also his family's life.

In 2015, Costantin’s house in Al-Suleymanieh was severely damaged by a mortar shell that exploded in the adjoining building causing complete destruction to Costantin’s 5th-floor-apartment, where he and his mother live. However, the biggest loss for the family was the death of Costantin’s older brother in the war. His death was a tragedy on the family they couldn’t bare to lose him especially that he left behind a little daughter. 

Costantin was devastated and depressed but what helped him to continue was his little niece and his mother, for them he stayed strong and resilient. 

Today Costantin is planning to start over and be more independent, for two years now he has been saving money and purchasing some of the equipment needed, but in order to launch his own workshop he needs a little help in buying all the tools and essentials. By supporting Costantin, we will be a part of this young man’s success which will reflect on the life of the family.

Akram, his wife Claude, son Salim and daughter Dalal have witnessed the war in Aleppo and suffered immensely of its consequences. The constantly falling shells during the first few years affected Salim and Dalal’s mental health greatly, the explosions and the horrors pushed them on the verge of a breakdown. Specially when one of those shells hit Akram's car that was parked in front of their building.

Akram’s business was also affected, when his partner decided to leave the country, they had to sell all the machines to separate their finances. All that left Akram with an empty workspace with no sewing machines to work and make an income. 

Since safety is back to the city of Aleppo Akram was encouraged to start over and reopen his workshop, but with no financial resources or help it seems impossible. He needs support to buy the sewing machines that will ensure an efficient work flow for Akram’s business. Hoping that this step will Help Akram provide a decent life for his family in the future. 

Saad is a 37-years-old man who chose to make a risky decision of changing his career more than five years ago. Originally Saad was working in retail business, but after loosing his shop and the merchandise in Al-Ramouseh, he found himself without any job for more than two years, he decided to begin a new career in tailoring. He started this path by taking a course to learn everything related to this new domain, then he borrowed his uncle’s old sewing machine and hoped for the best. 

This hardworking man managed to succeed in his job despite all challenges, he recently relocated his shop and with the new location he felt the need to expand his business (specially that his current machine is warn-out and not sufficient anymore to satisfy customers’ needs). 

Saad’s ambition needs help to be turned into reality, the additional machines he wishes to obtain are necessary to raise the quality and variety of his production, but he doesn’t have the sufficient resources. With the help of Micro Projects program, the chance of improving the lifestyle for this hardworking man and his family . 

Just with the start of war, Shadi was called to serve his mandatory military service, Shadi went to his assigned position in Damascus without knowing that this period of his life will extent to over than nine years. 

During those years he went through many hard and challenging circumstances, he overcame many dangers and dodged many explosions, and finally was discharged in April 2020. His wife and two daughters were very excited for their father coming back home, they were united again and moved back to their old house (during Shadi’s absence his wife and children were staying with her parents).Being away for so long Shadi had to establish a business of his own, and with no financial resources the only solution he found was to transform a small part of his 32 m2 house into a plumbing shop where he can receive clients and store all the equipment and spare parts. 

Today shadi needs support to purchase the tools needed for his job, in addition to some merchandise like pipes to be able to work properly and maintain a decent income for his family. 

Not many people have the courage to leave their job and switch to something they love, that is what Gaby did by quitting work in a goldsmithing workshop, to choose a pretty unique field; hand making souvenirs rosaries and religious art pieces. This artisan who is also a father of three daughters, made this change back in 2006, since he was the sole provider of his family that was smaller back then.

Gaby was struggling to provide from his weekly paycheck at the workshop and he didn’t have enough capital to work independently in goldsmithing, so when a friend offered him help and support to start a new business, he accepted this opportunity specially that this domain he chose also requires hand skills. It was a rough start but Gaby was determined to make it work. Slowly his business grew, he had two employees to help him with the orders that were coming not only from Aleppo, but also from other cities around the country and even from Lebanon. Life wasn’t easy for the 54-years-old Gaby; he was diagnosed with “Crohn’s Disease”; a condition that is chronic and he eventually needed surgery.

This lifelong battle with the disease was truly exhausting, specially that the war added to the agony of the whole family. Gaby considers himself lucky that no serious material damages happened to them, but the emotional impact of war was devastating.

Today Gaby, His wife Sanaa and his daughter Patricia have put the war and its bad memories behind, but the high livelihood costs and the lack of the primary materials, still made their life difficult, specially that they have the house rent and the store rent to pay every month which is not easy at all.

The latest outbreak of corona virus didn’t make things any easier, the high prices and the closure of jobs has put Gaby in a critical situation, that’s why this support came in the right timing. He wants to purchase a good amount of “resins” and primary material since it is the hardest to get, in order to use in new designs in the future, hoping that things would turn around and the upcoming days hold success. 

George Korjian (32 years old) is a self-made hardworking man, whom like many Syrians was affected by the exhausting prolonged war.

His bitter experience started in 2013 When George was still single. He used to work in Sheikh Najjar area in a plastic chairs manufacturing factory. This hard-working man was trying to build his future, his daily shift would extend to approximately 18 hours, but George didn’t mind the tiredness, on the contrary his concentrated efforts paid off when in a short period of time George established his own workshop for recycling old chairs and producing new ones.

Unfortunately, it wasn’t too long before the war changed everything. The area of Sheikh Najjar became out of reach and the armed groups confiscated his property with all the primary materials that he had invested in.

By then George had to start over from scratch, he opened a shop to sell movies and music CDs, and other services that go with it, being a great salesman George succeeded in this job; in a short period, he became popular and gained a lot of customers. It was important for him to excel in his job because he was about to start a family with his fiancé (now wife) Diana. After postponing their wedding multiple times due to the war and the economic circumstances. George and Diana tied the knot in 2016, and since then they were blessed with a son Gabriel and now, they are expecting another baby soon.

As the years went by, George’s family started to grow and the income from the CDs store was not sufficient anymore. Life suddenly was becoming more expensive and George was searching for a solution. Around that time a spice shop near his current shop was for rent, the owners were asking for a low rent because they were going to travel, George knew it was a great bargain so he quickly seized the offer and started learning about this new profession from his relative who was in the spice trade. George soon learnt about different spices and like always stood on his own feet, despite the health problems that he was facing in that period of time because of his chronic liver condition. 

However, George’s health is more stable now and he wants to keep the good work. With a little help he will be able to obtain a grinding machine for coffee next to the spices, so he can to be able to distinguish his shop and compete with the local market by providing freshly grind and high-quality materials for his clients in the future.

Sarkis Najarian (36 years old) used to work with his father in the family’s workshop for car maintenance, when the family business took a hit, Sarkis and his father financial stability was shaken strongly. In 2012, their workshop in Bustan Al-Basha (which they owned since 1999) was destroyed, all the material and supplies were stolen and the family lost their livelihood.

Two long years passed, in that period they remained without a job, living through the hardest times that Aleppo city had ever endured. Sarkis was displaced from his house in Al-Sheikh Taha when in 2013 armed groups entered the surrounding neighborhoods. However, as soon as the roads were partially open Sarkis took his family and his parents and moved to Mashta Al-Helou seeking safety. At first, they were thinking to stay for just a couple of weeks but those weeks soon turned into four years. Sarkis managed to work in Mashta Al-Helou in his same profession until the situation in Aleppo became more stabilized and it was time to come back. 

In 2019, Sarkis headed back to his hometown Aleppo with his wife Sarin and two daughters; Mayla (8 years old) and Christa (3 years old). He needed to start working again in order to provide for his family, and since his workshop was destroyed and stolen, Sarkis started looking for a proper place to rent and start over.

The constant relocation of his workshop had drained Sarkis’s financial resources, which made restarting in Aleppo much harder than it already is. But when he heard about the micro projects, he immediately knew it was what he exactly needs. The support will be to buy the tools, equipment, and supplies to launch his project and provide for his family.

The wide spread of technology, smart phones and portable computers, made the need for these devices’ maintenance services a necessity. Many people like Essam Ishak entered this field of work relying on the rapid development of this particular domain. At first (in 1991) when he started, mobile phones were the upcoming trend, he cultivated his skills in mobile maintenance, software and program installations, then with the internet availability the laptops were the next wave to catch if anyone like Essam wanted to be up to date in his business.

Things were good for Essam, he had his own shop and he had started a family with his wife Sossi, together they were blessed with two daughters; Joelle (14 years old) and Patricia (13 years old) but the war disturbed their peace and safety. First the economic depression had its toll on the business and on people’s luxuries, Essam had to sell his shop because of the financial hardships and rent a small room instead to store the supplies he had and use the space for work. But in 2016 things got worse, constant mortar shells hit Essam’s work place and he lost all the goods he had there. The family’s house was also damaged in the same unfortunate events since it was in the same neighborhood, but the house damage was minor and the family was luckily safe.

Today, Essam is still struggling to compensate for his losses, he had rented a shop near his house and is offering the same maintenance services he used to offer before, but since his financial resources are limited, his potential in increasing his capital and investing in new supplies are very weak, he really needs any kind of help and  support in order to overcome the obstacles that war put in his way, and recover his life as much possible.   

Mazen Sakkal is a 40-years-old father of two and the sole provider for his family.

With his wife Jina and their two sons; George (4 years old) and William (2 years old), the family lives in Al-Suleymanieh area, they consider themselves lucky that their particular street was considerably safer than other streets during the long war that Aleppo had to suffer from. However, they were not spared from facing losses. 

In 2015, Mazen’s small warehouse, where he used to store his goods, was damaged severely from a shell, the frontage was all broken and the stored materials were ruined. It was a grave loss for the young man, whose life was already hard in that time as he was starting a family of his own.

Mazen had to make a new plan after this incident, he managed to rent a shop in a fairly good location hoping that this step would help compensate for his previous losses, and indeed the persistent man succeeded in standing on his own feet after a while. But the more the war prolonged, the more hardships escalated, the inflation of every aspect of life put heavy burdens on Mazen’s shoulders, and at the same time the slow of business decreased the profits and made it impossible to survive the economic crisis.

Mazen knew he had to do something and he needed help desperately, when he made the decision to stay in Syria near his parents and loved ones, he didn’t know that he will be under so much pressure of the financial struggle. He couldn’t ask for his parents’ help since he and his brother were providing for them. Mazen didn’t have anyone to reach out to except for the Hope Center. He knew that increasing the variety of his merchandise that basically consist of mobile accessories, headphones, power banks and software services will be very beneficial to boost his work and attract new customers. His business really needed the update, especially in the time of corona virus spread. Mazen has a positive feeling about this chance he got to revive his business and take care of his family’s needs.   

Elia Karam and Antoine Karam are two brothers who decided to retrieve their career and start again at their lathing workshop.

Elia lives with his wife and his son. Antoine is also married and has a son; the two brothers are responsible of providing for their parents.

Before the war the brothers worked at their workshop in Al-Arkoub, but during the war the shop was destroyed so they left it and started a work with a friend of theirs.

Unfortunately, this partnership took a bad turn and this friend started controlling them more and more and exploiting the work because he had the biggest part of finance.

They also had to leave their house many times in order to escape from the bombs, their lives were in real threat, they feared for their children and families.

Thankfully they survived without any injuries but the fear was forever planted in their hearts and the desperation from this kind of life where nothing is really stable.

Elia and Antoine heard about the Micro Projects Program which they discussed together and found that it is exactly what they have been looking for to gain back their work independence and go back to their workshop with all the experience they have.

“Our big challenge now is to revive our job which is like many careers that were about to disappear at war time, and to have the courage to work again under the harsh economic crisis. Now we are looking forward to renew our workshop and machines to restart our work and improve our lives. Everything needs courage you just have to take the first step.”

In one of the most beautiful streets in Aleppo, and probably from the most heavily affected areas by war, Nabil Shouha and his mother Soaad live. The old embellished buildings of Al-Azizieh have witnessed a lot of dark days during the war; mortar shells, deadly shrapnel and sniper shots threatened the life of the residents and spread fear among people.

The 33-years-old Nabil with his mother stayed there the whole time despite all the horror and fear, one time a mortar shell broke into their Living room and caused a lot of destruction and the majority of the house was burnt and turned into ashes, thankfully they were not at home when this tragedy happened. 

Nabil’s house location wasn’t the only dangerous place, he has dodged many dangers and managed to survive from several accidents, for instance when he was working as a cashier in a café in Al-Mogambo, a missile hit the street and it was a miracle that he wasn’t hurt.

Working in the café wasn’t Nabil’s first job, for 10 years he was an accountant in a clothes retail company, but in 2015 the company was closed. However, in 2017 after the withdrawal from Eastern Aleppo, Nabil wanted to be self-employed. Although there are more responsibility and risk but at the same is would be much more self-fulfilling and rewarding. Indeed, the young man started looking for an idea and a location to open his own project which turned out to be a bookshop for stationery. The project launched successfully and the income was reasonable, but the constant financial challenges and the currency value made upgrading and enlarging the investment in stock nearly impossible without the help. 

With this project Nabil hopes to add new varieties; different types of merchandise, that will end up in reviving the business and increasing the income.

When you live in a fifth-floor apartment in Al-Suleymanieh area, with no High buildings around you to protect you from the shells you can relate to Aboud sayes’s story.

When Aboud (34-years-old) married his wife Aline few years into war, buying a house was hard for the young couples, one of their relatives felt sympathy towards their struggle and offered them an apartment to live in since the owners had left Syria because of the war and the house was empty anyway.

Aboud appreciated this generous gesture sincerely, it lifted a huge financial burden off his shoulders and gave him the possibility to focus on establishing a business of his own to provide for his family, after a couple of years during the war, the family welcomed their first daughter and not long after that their son.

Despite their house’s critical location, the damage was mostly exterior; in broken glassware and windows from the nearby explosions, Aboud and his family didn’t leave their apartment only for a short time when the situation was unbearable, the greater damage was the emotional and psychological one, Aline still remembers how she would grab the newborn baby girl and run, seeking a safer place under the building staircases. While Aline was concerned with her children’s safety, Aboud had an additional concern; how to provide for them. 

His business was good, he was relying on his old experiences in clothes manufacturing workshops to excel in a not far field of designing clothes embellishment patterns and embroidery. However, the problem with that type of business is that it is always developing, there are constant improvement in machinery and tools that Aboud in the midst of everything else could not keep pace, the high prices of this machinery prevented him from getting ahead in his job and eventually became overwhelmed by the slowing business. 

This support will give Aboud the opportunity to outplay the economic hardships that Syrian business owners are facing, he will add to his existing machines a laser fabric cutting machine to expand his production and make a decent living for his family. 

Talaat, a hardworking farmer from Qattinah village, faced adversity when thieves stole his irrigation network. This setback left his water pond and well, equipped with a pump, useless, limiting him to planting only wheat on his land. As a husband and father of two university students, he felt the weight of providing for his family. With the stolen irrigation system, he struggled to cultivate a variety of crops to improve their livelihood.

However, with the support of a new irrigation network, Talaat's hopes blossomed anew. Now equipped with everything needed for a well-watered farm, he eagerly began planting potatoes and a variety of vegetables without worries. This stability not only transforms his farm but also holds the promise of changing his family's future, ensuring them a dignified life. 

Alaa, a devoted family man from the village of Qattinah, faced the trials of sustaining his family through farming and seasonal fishing. 

He works in his father-in-law's land, entrusted with its care while his father-in-law traveled abroad. In this land there was a partnership between his father-in-law and someone else and this partnership had once thrived, when they equipped the land with essential irrigation tools.

In 2022, Alaa's world shattered as his father-in-law's partner sold their shared assets, leaving him deprived of the crucial equipment and water access. 

With no recourse, his farming activities were paused, casting shadows over his family's livelihood.

Yet, hope flickered in the form of the Micro Projects Program, where he sought aid to restore his dreams. He applied for a solar power and irrigation systems, envisioning a future where his land flourishes once more.

Amidst the olive trees and vegetable crops, Alaa's resilience bloomed. With the installation of solar panels and an efficient irrigation system, his land came to life. 

Fadi is married with two children, he cherishes the simplicity of life alongside his aging parents. Enduring a two-year struggle with liver inflammation and diabetes, he found stability, embracing gratitude for his family and health.

Specialized in pastry making, a skill acquired in Lebanon, he operates a modest shop with his wife. He also works in farming with an arable land. He worked hard to enhance productivity year-round. However, lacking a water pump and motor hindered his ambition, limiting cultivation to winter season.

Despite efforts to rent equipment, the high costs hindered the progress. His cultivation during the summer was limited to wheat, due to the water scarcity. 

Hope flickered when Fadi applied for the Micro Projects Program, through the program's intervention, he received vital irrigation equipment, transforming his agricultural prospects. Now, empowered by efficient water management, he became able to secure a dignified life for his loved ones. 

Sami, the head of a family of four in Qattinah village, struggled with the financial burden of farming. As both a dedicated employee and a farmer with olive and almond trees, he faced challenges plowing his land and providing essential treatments due to high equipment rental costs. Undeterred, he sought help from the Micro Projects Program.

He secured a mini-cultivator and a spraying pump. This invaluable support not only alleviated the strain of expensive tractor rentals but also empowered him to tend to his land effectively. 

Now, Sami cultivates his land with ease, saving costs and ensuring a bountiful harvest. The support has not only transformed his struggles into success but has also paved the way for a brighter future, promising his family a more prosperous and secure livelihood.

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. 

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.

Christine Fanouneh is 39 years old, she lives with her mother and brother in Jaramana, Damascus suburbs.

During her childhood, Christine lived in a very harmful environment as her father used to abuse her mother on daily basis in front of her and her sister, her brother was born with Down’s syndrome in addition to many health problems which made him in a continuous of medication and lots of love, care, and attention that the family was missing.

When Christine and her sister became adults, they stood in the face of their father defending their mother which angered him so he kicked them out of the house. Christine didn’t sit around feeling sorry for herself, on the contrary, she started working as a seamstress assistant and took care of the house expenses and her brother's medicine costs.

In 2009, Christine decided to start a job at a telecommunications company where she could meet people and have a social life until 2019 when she volunteered at the GOPA DERD organization.

During those years she kept working in sewing as a part-time job and managed to continue her education and graduate from the faculty of English literature.

Unfortunately, the health condition of her brother Elias was deteriorating and he needed intensive care that her mother couldn’t handle alone as she was not in a good mental situation and suffering from a lack of concentration due to the severe abuse that she was exposed to during her life with her husband, which forced Christine to miss many work days so she can be with her mom and brother.

Christine realized that she needs a job where she could manage her time and look after her family at the same time. She found her way to the micro-projects initiative and applied for a sewing machines, tools, and equipment that will enable her to have a new start in this field hoping that this opportunity will help her provide a proper income to look after her family.

Elie Istanboly, 30 years old, is like many young men of his age who had to spend years of the war facing dangers and horrors during their military service, and in Elie's case, it took nine difficult years of his youth.

Before the war began, Elie worked as a taxi driver and after he was discharged in 2019, he wanted to learn a profession so he could have a career for the future and make up for the previous years.

Elie started working at a metal casting workshop and in the afternoon, he continued working as a taxi driver trying his best to pay all his expenses and provide the living demands for his family.

However, the metal casting profession affected his health as he was exposed to lung poisoning due to inhaling poisoned gases. After his treatment, his doctor recommended that he doesn't go back to the same job because his lungs were damaged, and continuing in the same work might lead to serious outcomes.

But working as a taxi driver wasn’t enough to meet the livelihood costs because he had to give half of his income to the taxi owner, which forced him to sacrifice his health and face the dangers of keep working in the metal workshop for the sake of his family.

Elie was seeking any chance to improve his situation so he applied for the Micro-projects program for a taxi hoping that his life would change for the better.

Today after being funded to buy a taxi, Elie is delighted to have a project of his own. At the same time, he can work harder and improve his living conditions to provide his family and kids with a decent life.

Hassan Jolan, 33, didn’t have the chance to work or learn any profession after turning into his twenties because he was called for military service. He thought it would be a short period and pass in peace, but he did not know that a fierce war would strike his country to steal nine years from his life in which he had to be far from his family and friends under very difficult circumstances until his discharge in 2019.

He went home full of hope, got married to Suzan Altheib, and had adorable two kids who compensated him for the bitterness of wartime. During that period, he started to work as a taxi driver but he encountered critical conditions due to the corona virus and the restrictions that were followed by a huge increase in prices.

Unfortunately, no matter how long he worked, he kept suffering from the insufficient income and he became unable to handle the living expenses and his kids’ demands, especially since the taxi owner started to increase the rent which prevented him from having any additional savings.

However, even though all his relatives and friends were encouraging him to travel abroad, deep in his heart Hassan was praying to have a chance in his country, close to his parents and among his friends, and that’s what he got as he was funded with the taxi project that turned his life around as he has now a taxi of his own, and independence to have a better and sustainable income to improve his living conditions.

At the age of five, the life of Adeeb Haddad completely changed from a young child living in a safe environment with his parents to a homeless orphan moving from house to house.

His father's death in 2001 put his mother in a state of grieving and shock and also affected Adeeb who lost security and stability. Their financial conditions were very bad as his mother wasn’t working, so they moved to live with their relatives until his mother decided to marry and move with her husband to Homs.

Unfortunately, his stepfather was very cruel to him, while his mother was too weak to protect him so Adeeb moved back to his relatives' house and never saw his mother for the next eight years. Adeeb has suffered a lot from deprivation as his relatives were also living in extreme poverty; he was forced to leave school in the sixth grade and worked in cleaning bathrooms and washing dishes, or any other job he could find.

In 2017, Adeeb worked with his friend in a mobile maintenance workshop, where he found his interest, as he liked the profession and learned it quickly until he became well-known in his neighborhood for being a skilled maintenance worker. However, his friend wanted to travel, so Adeeb decided to borrow some money and buy the equipment from him to continue in the workshop alone which gave him the opportunity he was looking for to be independent and start his own project.

Adeeb was working in his shop seeking to improve his living conditions to get married, but no matter how hard he worked, that little dream kept becoming farther because the living circumstances were very tough, and with his modest workshop and old tools, he was unable to save money or improve his conditions.

With the help of micro-projects, Adeeb was supported with new tools and proper amounts of goods to enhance his work and income, hoping that after all those tough days, life will smile on him and he will be able to improve his situation and establish his own family.

Often, we are born to encounter many life obstacles, but the defining point is either giving up or challenging and accepting these obstacles and continuing our lives while we are full of hope and optimism, which was the choice of thirty-two-year-old Johnny Mardini.

Johnny was born into a humble family consisting of a hardworking father who worked day and night for the sake of his family and a loving mother who did everything she could to give love and care, especially since Johnny's older brother George suffers from a mental disability since birth that stopped his growth.

However, Johnny never hesitated to be responsible for his brother or his parents; so he learned the plumbing profession from his father and began to work with him at the workshops and at the plumbing store, trying his best to help with the household expenses.

unfortunately, in 2011 a fierce war broke out and stole Johnny from his family, as he was taken for military service to serve in conflict areas, where he used to be absent for many months without being able to communicate with his family, the thing that made them live in great fear and affected their health. After ten bitter years of suffering and life threats, Johnny was finally released in the year 2021.

After he returned, Johnny did not hesitate to work as a plumber, in the evenings he stayed with his father in the store and tried to give his brother the care he missed in his absence.

Johnny was striving to secure the most basic needs of the house, not to mention the monthly medicine costs for his parents, and despite his tight conditions and poor financial situation, his warm smile did not leave his face, and he kept hoping that life would reward him for his endeavors one day.

Indeed, this self-made man deserved the support of the Micro-project Program in Damascus, where his plumbing store was funded with the necessary equipment and materials that will increase his income and improve his living situation, in the hope it will reflect positively on his life and future.

losing her husband at the age of 26, and being responsible for a newborn baby at the same time is tough for any woman to handle, but Nancy Alshoufi decided to direct her love and care to her baby who will grow up without his father's support.

Her in-laws were also in great shock as they lost their son at a very young age, Nancy decided to keep living with them trying her best to look after them after their huge loss.

This young lady’s sacrifice had no limits as she took a full-time job to afford her son’s basic demands and at the same time help her in-laws with the house expenses. She also decided to finish her education at the faculty of translation as she is now in her third year continuing her journey in work and study with great passion.

In 2019, Nancy took a Micro project management course at GOPA and won funding for starting a small nuts shop in the neighborhood which will be additional income for her but unfortunately, the start of her project was in parallel with the Corona crisis in the country which led to a huge increase in the prices and the fund she got wasn’t enough for buying 20 percent of the shop’s goods and materials.

Yet, she kept trying with the help of her father to sustain the shop and manage its capital to buy new goods, but that became difficult as time passed because of the hard economic conditions of the last two years.

Although Nancy was struggling to make a balance between her living expenses and raising her son in good conditions, she didn’t lose faith in God who led her to apply at the micro-project office in Damascus and she was supported with the necessary goods and materials that will increase her income and ensure the stable and secured income.

Behind the great amount of sadness and calamities that Fahed has been through in his life, there is a loving, confident heart and a solid will to improve himself and save his family from their tragic situation.

Fahed Farah, 34, is a caring husband and father of two sons; Farah, born in 2017, and Charbel born in 2019. He lives along with his family in a dilapidated flat in Al-Dwalaa neighborhood.

At the beginning of his twenties, Fahed was called to the military service for eight tough years of his life, he had to face the most difficult conditions until his discharge in 2018. He was then facing a harsher reality as his son was diagnosed with a brain tumor and needed to undergo a surgical operation which cost Fahed all his savings in addition to selling his wife’s gold jewelry.

Fahed was on the edge of a breakdown, but his will was stronger than his conditions, so he decided to defeat all the obstacles and start over. He returned to the physics college to continue his education in the morning, and in the afternoon, he started working as a taxi driver and a physics tutor at the same time, trying his best to secure the living demands and his son’s medications for misfunction in the Hypothyroidism which led to lack of growth.

Sorrowfully, such an effort didn’t improve his situation because half of his income was going straight to the taxi owner and he was looking for a miracle to save him from his hardship.

Now, after applying to the Hope center to have his own Taxi, Fahed is determined to improve his livelihood, finish his university study and provide his family with decent living circumstances.

Wadie Abou Assaleh, a 60-year-old man, is married to Claire and they have two sons George who since his born in 1994 suffers from a mental disability, and Elias born in 1991. 

From 1985 to 2011 Wadie worked as a goldsmith along with his brother at their workshop but after the outbreak of the war, their profession was affected badly. Hence, his brother traveled abroad and Wadie was forced to close the workshop and work as a private driver for an archbishop on the Damascus-Beirut international road which provided him with a decent income during the years of war.

Wadie dedicated his life to the sake of his boys as he provided his son George with all the love and care he needs; he wanted to support his son and prove to him that disability is not an inability, so in 2012 he rented a mini-market near his house and filled it with goods so his son could do something valuable and be socially involved with the people every day.

His other son Elias traveled to Erbil but he couldn’t’ find a proper job and Wadie had to send him money every month to secure his living. Unfortunately, by the end of 2019, the corona epidemic affected the situation all over the world and the travel movement stopped between Syria and Lebanon which left Wadie jobless.

His son Elias was also in a bad financial situation in Erbil and wanted to return to Syria so Wadie had no choice but to sell his car to pay him the military service fees.

Although Wadie started the market to enhance his son's social abilities, now even with its poor amount of goods, it became the only source of income for the whole family. Giving him the chance to renew his goods will help him overcome all the tough days and allow him to improve his family’s situation.

As long as you keep smiling in the face of your difficulties, life will reward your great hope. 

Simon Tannous is 44 years old, he is married and has two adorable girls, Hala born in 2008, and Lana born in 2013.

Simon and his family live in a small rented flat in Kashkoul and he also works in his mini-market in the same area.

He was an employee as a driver at the construction administration in Damascus since 1996, but his low income wasn't matching his living expenses which made him decide to have additional income, he started his own mini-market shop in 2010 where he used to work in the afternoon.

Unfortunately, after about three years of the war’s outbreak, the violent acts spread all over and as a result, the armed groups robbed and vandalized his shop which cost him many losses.

Yet, Simon didn’t hesitate to borrow some money and buy new goods to keep the work going which annoyed the troublemakers in the area and they reported him to the police station for selling alcoholic drinks illegally. That cost Simon five years of his life in prison until the church intervened to prove his innocence and he was set free in 2019.

After his release, Simon’s health was affected badly as he was suffering from Back disc pains which made him quit his job at the administration and returned to work at his mini-market.

During the last years, Simon’s family survived with the support of the church’s relief aid and the help of their friends and relatives. Simon couldn’t provide his shop with new goods to improve the work and increase his income.

However, despite all the difficulties he has been through, Simon’s smile never disappeared and he kept praying for a better future. Indeed, his hope wasn't disappointed and with the help of the Micro-project program, he was supported with a proper amount of goods that will increase his income and improve his situation.

Sometimes the only thing that can keep you fighting, is believing that one day everything is going to be better.

Najeh Ajaiby, 52, has never stopped believing that good things are coming on his way.

he is originally from Egypt and came to Syria in 1997 looking for better work opportunities, so he started to work in his profession as a carpenter in different workshops. Soon after he got married to Samar AL-Abdoun and had three children Ruba, Fadi, and Mina.

Najeh worked hard for many years in Al-Swaida until he became able to establish his own carpentry workshop in 2009 in the same area. His wife and kids were living in Damascus so Najeh was planning to move his workplace there to be close to them but in 2011, the war started in the country and the deteriorating security situation in the area prevented him from moving. For more than ten years, Najeh was forced to be far from his family working as hard as he could to secure all their living needs and provide his kids with proper education to secure their future.

Indeed, his daughter Ruba is studying now at the Engineering college, his son Mina is in the faculty of Medicine while the other son Fadi has won a scholarship to study flight engineering in Moscow.

Even though Najeh was delighted to see his kids succeed in their studies, he had to work harder to meet the increasing costs of living which were unbearable, especially within the electricity blackouts situation in the area which affected his work directly as his customers started to deal with other workshops which have electric generators and can do the work on time.

Now after being financed with the electric generator and the necessary equipment, this self-made man has the chance to improve his work which will change his situation for the better and secure decent living conditions.  

Salwan Alnasr is 43 years old, married to Rita with a 13-year-old son called Jack.

Salwan and his family live in a modest rented flat in Al-Dwalaa, He used to work as a tile setter for more than 13 years. Despite the fact that his work was very hard and affected his health on the long term, he kept working to afford the best life for his family because during the crisis years, no matter how hard he worked, his income didn’t level up with the high costs of livelihood.

Unfortunately, in 2017, Salwan started to suffer from severe pain in his back and the doctor told him that he has to go through surgery that he couldn’t afford, but “the Good Shepherd Association” covered the surgery’s costs and after the operation, he had to stay for about 18 months in bed rest. During that period, Salwan had to spend all his savings to afford the basic living needs and after his recovery, his brother helped him to start a small shop close to his house where he could be able to support his family without much physical effort.

He worked in the shop with his brother until his traveling in 2020 when Salwan took the responsibility of running the shop by himself and he became very popular in the neighborhood as people got used to buying from him.

However, due to the Corona and the huge increase in prices, Salwan couldn’t support his shop with new goods, and day after day it became empty besides a few materials that were left on the shelves. Salwan was in a bad financial situation and he wasn’t able to make a balance between his income and his family’s living demands. 

“Don’t let life bring you down. Remember that God gives you struggles to test your faith.”

Salwan’s faith was stronger than his struggles, and now after being supported by the micro-project program he is able to support his shop with a good amount of goods and products to improve his income and restore his life balance.

In 2010, Tony left his village and headed to the city of Damascus with hope and determination to make a change in the life of his family. He settled in Al-Dwalaa neighborhood and started to work in any available job and send most of his wages to his mother and brother who suffers from sight disability. 

Unfortunately in the first years of the war the security situation in Damascus deteriorated badly, and soon after, he was asked to serve in Hama.

Tony accepted the bitter reality and for more than eight years he served in very dangerous zones, went through several hardships, and survived many calamities. Yet, he didn’t let his situation bring him down, on the contrary, he learned the hairstyling profession and while he was serving in Hama, he worked at Marmarita village then when he was transferred to serve in Damascus, he continued his work there and gained good experience by the leading of professional hairstylists in the area.

The day that Tony was looking forward to, had arrived and he was discharged from the military service. He didn’t hesitate and started to work many shifts during the day to improve his financial situation, he wanted to save money to have his own salon, but his family’s situation wasn’t stable and he was sending them money every month to secure their basic living demands.

Tony’s dream of being independent and having his private job was fading away with the increasing costs of living, but he kept on the hard work until he heard about the micro-project program so he came with all hope asking for support.

Now, after being financed with the necessary equipment and the electric generator, Tony has finally reached his goal; having his own salon, and being independent to mprove his living circumstances.