Ms. Al al-Kh, aged 27, is married and the mother of two children, one of whom has speech disorders and learning difficulties. Her husband, the children's father, cannot work because he is listed as a conscript reservist. The family was displaced from East Ghouta and lives in a rented house with Al.KH's parents. Unfortunately for her, she is her family's sole breadwinner, as her father was diagnosed with Alzheimer's and her brother is still at school age.

Like innumerable Syrian families, Al.KH's fled to an unknown future in which they lacked shelter and everything. This led to poverty and the inability to provide for most basic needs, not to mention the psychological pressures associated with that. What made things worse for Al.KH was the deteriorating health of both her daughter and father. She tried more than once to improve her family's living conditions, but greed and exploitation of employers were unbearable for her, which strained her determination and failed her modest dreams.

When she was monitored by a SSSD ORV, a first spark of hope was ignited. The turning point in her life and the life of her family was when the project she had long dreamed of was approved!

Thus Al.KH's journey in realizing her dream began. During her journey, SSSD supported her both financially and morally. To begin with, she was offered a course in Small-Business Management and Entrepreneurship. Soon after, her project, a women's accessories and handbags shop, was launched.

The project has changed the course of life of Al.KH and her family. Thanks to a fairly handsome steady income, they are now able to provide for living needs and afford medical treatment for the family's patients. This has given them a sense of stability, which certainly changed their lives for the better. In Al.KH's own words, "This project is a new beginning for me. From now on, I can support my family and live independently."

Give a man a fish and you feed him for a day; teach a man to fish and you feed him for a lifetime. How truly this proverb applies to Ms. Al.KH's case, reflecting on the ground thanks to the efforts of the Syrian Society for Social Development.

Kh al-N is a 44-year-old widow and the mother of two children. Her husband died 15 years ago, leaving her with the huge responsibility of raising the children and securing household expenses. Her daughter suffers from a congenital brain hemorrhage that has caused her serious learning difficulties. Kh, despite the difficult circumstances, refused to beg other people’s sympathy, trying to rely on herself by working in a shop selling underwear. The war, however, forced her to flee, so she had eventually to live in a rented house in Jaramana, Rural Damascus. Having to abandon work and finding no job opportunity in Jaramana made her condition all the more desperate.

Ms. Kh was monitored in Jaramana, then introduced to the SSSD community center and the services offered thereat, particularly the Small-business Grants Project. Having followed a course in small-business management and entrepreneurship, Kh appeared before a special committee in the presence of a UNHCR representative and obtained approval for a project of her own (a shop for selling underwear and women’s accessories). Shortly afterwards, a suitable shop was found and rented, all supplies were purchased and the small business was launched.

Ms. Kh proved to be an active, enthusiastic woman who loved her work and sought progress and self-realization. This was obvious from the fact that she changed the type of clothes on display in the shop. “As you can see, I changed most of the garments in the shop in order to meet market needs,” she said. When asked about the impact of the new job on her life she answered with a broad smile on her face: “So many things changed for me, in my life in general and in life with my children. First and foremost, I repaid my debt, which was really a heavy burden on me, and was able to provide for my children. I helped my son continue his education (he is a 2nd year student studying computer engineering); I can now afford the medicine for my daughter whose condition, thank God, has perceptibly improved; I no longer have those anger fits and I’m kinda-friends with my children. Gradually, I was able to engage in the community’s life and socialize with new people. To make a long story short, I’m in love with life again!”

At the end of the conversation, Kh thanked SSSD that brought her and her family back to life. This small business was a gate of hope and a lifeline that saved Kh and her family from drowning in debt and sinking into depression. Through it, Kh gamely stepped into autonomy and sought decent living and integration into community.

Mr. Z.S is 35 and married. He is the sole breadwinner for a family consisting of his wife, two children and his parents. The family has been displaced and lives now at al-Zahera district in a rented house. On top of that, he suffers from Bell's palsy (facial nerve paralysis).

He was monitored at al-Zahera and offered to go to SSSD to see what help he could be provided with.

Having extensive experience in the business, Mr. Zaher's burning wish was to restore his and his family's work in sheep breeding. He was first assigned to a small-business management and entrepreneurship course, before appearing before a special committee in the presence of a representative of the UNHCR. He then obtained approval for his project: selling sheep and dairy sheep products, to be implemented in conjunction with the holy month of Ramadan.

Mr. Zaher proved a very active, unperturbed person, very enthusiastic and persistent in making his project a success. His first step was to transfer his residence to al-'Adawi area, where there are orchards and land suitable for raising the sheep that SSSD offered him. During the follow-up of Zaher at his home, his diligence and keen interest in the sheep's health and wellbeing were evident. He secured a suitable shed for the animals, brought them the veterinarian on a regular basis and benefited from his father's knowledgeable advice in sheep raising.

The visible impact of his work on the project's turn has been observed at all levels of his life: economic, social and domestic. He has become financially independent and able to meet his family's needs, and is growing more optimistic about life, hoping that the future would be a tiny bit more beautiful.

Today, thanks to Mr. Zaher's experience and diligence, he managed to secure a way for himself and his family towards dignified living after much suffering and patience in the face of poor conditions and hardships. Their story is for sure an example to follow ...