Mr. A H is a 56-year-old married man who lives at the military neighborhood near Shabo hospital. He is the sole breadwinner of his wife and nine children. Both he and his wife suffer from diabetes and hypertension. Mr. A H had a keys and locks manufacturing shop with an oriental touch, which was taken from him by ISIS.

Since then, Mr. A S headed towards a future without shelter, which led to the deterioration of his financial situation and psychological state.

Luckily, he was approached by one of SSSD’s outreach volunteers. This was Mr. A H’s spark of hope and turning point for him and his family, as his dream project was approved. And so, the journey towards achieving his dreams began, and SSSD assisted him both financially and morally.

After a while, Mr. A H’s project__ a keys and locks manufacturing shop__ was launched. This project was life-changing and had a very positive effect on Mr. A H and his family, as they became able to provide for their basic needs and treat their illnesses.

“This project is a new beginning. The next step I took in life to get back on my feet again was thanks to SSSD”, confirmed Mr. A H.

Mr. Imad is a 56-year-old husband with five children- three sons and two daughters. His eldest son is a 5^th year medicine student, his first daughter a 2^nd year media student and his second daughter a 10^th grade student. As for his wife, she is unemployed, which makes him the sole breadwinner.

Like thousands of Syrian families, Mr. Imad suffered from the crisis’s negative impacts, namely poverty and psychological pressure since he has to provide for him family.

Through a friend of his, Mr. Imad heard that SSSD provides support to small projects. Consequently, he presented his project, which is a library to sell materials, stationery departments’ supplies/records/, since he’s a retired employee who worked in the financial system for control and inspection.

His psychological and financial situation went from very bad to notably well once his project was approved and he was able to offer his children all the help they needed to pursue their studies.

Mr. Imad was filled with gratitude towards SSSD and the UNHCR for their approval of his project, which helped him restore his children’s academic levels and support his family.

Hence, he said that there’s no life with despair, and shared with us his piece of wisdom by saying: "Instead of Giving me Wood, Provide me with the Rope to Carry it”.

Mr. M M is a 50-year-old married man and father of thirteen__ ten daughters and three sons. One of his daughters had an eye injury, which led to the loss of her cornea and cost her dad a great deal to get the proper treatment. His wife has diabetes. As for his sons, his eldest is married with four kids, and can’t work because he’s wanted for military service, his second son is a soldier, and his youngest is still in school. 

Because of the crisis, he was displaced from Idlib to Hassakeh and was left unemployed.

Once he was spotted by one of SSSD’s ORV team, hope started creeping in all over again. And so, Mr. M M’s journey towards fulfilling his dream began. During his journey, SSSD supported him, and offered him a course in Project Management so as to be able to manage his own project__ a shoe store.

His life changed from a miserable one to a one filled with joy and hope.  He was finally able to sleep comfortably, reassured that he could finally support his family.

But Mr. M M’s life didn’t stop there, as he expanded his business, established contacts with the market and opened a new branch. All this was thanks to the efforts made by SSSD.

Mr. F S is a single man born in 1972. He lives with his ill brother and his wife, and is the sole breadwinner because of his brother’s illness. Like thousands of Syrian families, he headed for a future without any money or medicine for his brother, the thing that led to poverty, inability to provide the most basic needs and psychological stress. What made things worse was his brother’s health deterioration. Consequently, Mr. F S tried to improve their situation by finding a suitable job, but all his efforts went in vein due to his employers’ greed and exploitation. This left him exhausted and feeling hopeless.

Once he was spotted by one of SSSD’s ORV team, hope started creeping in all over again. Mr. F S’s life-changing moment was when his project was approved.

And so, Mr. F S’s journey towards fulfilling his dream began. During his journey, SSSD supported him morally and financially, and offered him a course in Project Management so as to be able to manage his own project__ a photography shop.

This project positively changed the lives of Mr. F S and his brother through the income it has brought them, which helped them secure their basic needs, get medicine for the ill brother, and have a sense of stability.  

The latter was confirmed by the beneficiary, as he said that this project helped him support his family independently.

“Don’t give me fish, teach me how to fish instead” is the principle adopted by Mr. F S and embodied by SSSD.

Mrs. R S is a 33-year-old married woman with no children and an unemployed husband due to his poor health condition. She and her husband were displaced from Deir Alzor and are living at a rented house along with her parents, brother and his family.

Like all people living in Deir Alzor, she fled to Hassakeh, leaving behind all her life savings and heading towards a mysterious future that lacks shelter and food. This has affected their lives badly and led to their disregard, subjection to psychological pressure, and deterioration of their living and health conditions. Attempting to improve their situation, R.S tried to seek help from several NGOs but all her efforts went in vein. Filled with despair, she went to try her luck at SSSD after being turned down from all the other NGOs. It was there that one of the outreach volunteers welcomed her with a heart-warming smile and brought back the hope she had lost. Once her project was approved, Mrs. R S’s life course shifted from pessimism to optimism and satisfaction.

After Mrs. R S took the project management course offered by SSSD, she began her project, a confectionery, with the moral and financial support of the SSSD and started rebuilding her life all over again.

"This project changed my life and brought back my optimistic view of life. I was able to support my family and unemployed husband and provide for their needs”, expressed Mrs. R S.