As one gets older, finding a job becomes harder than it already is! So, what would someone who had everything, and lost it in a blink of an eye do?
That is a question Mr. Kh R can answer.

Mr. Kh R is a 58-year-old man who was displaced along with his wife and family from Qalamoun, Fleitah.

He lost his house and workshop, and had to move to his in-law’s house in Jaramana, Rural Damascus.

After he knew of all the services provided by SSSSD from the ORV team, he went directly to the community center in Jaramana. There, he registered for a small project to sell electrical materials and tools. The project involved obtaining some tools and machinery that would enable him to carry out electrical repairs if requested.

Mr. Kh R underwent a training in Entrepreneurship, and was distinguished by his presence and active participation. His expertise was apparent when discussing electrical wiring, as well as other domains such as selling, buying and dealing with customers. He was then interviewed, and got the approval for his project, in the presence of the UNHCR Livelihood Officer and the Small Business Grants Programme Manager.

Upon a follow-up visit at the shop, the SSSD team was surprised to see that Mr. Kh R had bought some canned foods and cleaning tools, in order to expand the work and secure people’s needs at his neighbourhood.

During the visit, he said: “Ever since I opened this shop, I have been praying for you! I am receiving several extension workshops, as well as minor repairs occasionally. I also taught my wife how to sell and wrote down the items’ prices for her. As you can see, I bought some canned foods and cleaning tools in order to secure all my neighbourhood’s needs. I was also able to pay for my house’s rent. Most importantly, I stopped feeling like an old, incapable person not able to work or do anything.”

The feeling of incapability is more difficult incapability itself, as this horrible feeling prevents any person from practicing his daily routines. Therefore, one has to find himself, and constantly look for things that keep him an active member in society.

I left my home-town Jissreen with nothing but my family. Hence, I was a hopeless man…This was how Mr. H T began his story.

Mr. HT, a 39-year-old husband and father of a young daughter, left Jissreen with his family, only to find himself in a shelter. Once out, he found no other place to go to but his in-laws’ house in Jaramana, Rural Damascus.

From then on, he began searching for a job after he had lost his furniture upholstery and detailing workshop. He started working at a workshop, and helped in household expenses, including the rent, food, and supplies for his little girl.

Mr. H T’s wife, who used to attend Psychological Support Sessions at SSSD’s center and complain about her husband’s situation, introduced him to SSSD. Consequently, he was invited to SSSD’s center, and was referred to the Small Business Grants Programme by the Psychosocial Support case manager.
He underwent a training in Entrepreneurship, and symbolized the good, responsible, and perseverant human being. Once he was done with training, he was granted the project he presented.

Several months went by, and after several follow-up visits to his workshop, he told us that he had settled with his family in a separate house. He also told us that he had contracted with some engineers and was detailing furniture for restaurants and lounges.

“My life changed drastically! I went from being a hopeless man who had lost his workshop and house, to having my own workshop again. Now I am full of hope. I look forward to going back to my hometown, and rebuilding my destroyed house. My marital problems also came to an end after I was able to provide for my wife and daughter. Currently, I aspire to expand my workshop and increase my work.”
Thus, with his relentless pursuit of work and success, and with some financial support, Mr. H T changed his life radically in the most unexpected, unimaginable way.

We sometimes definitely need a dose of strength to change the reality that obstructs realizing out ambition

Ms. N.W., 25, married with a 5-year-old daughter and displaced from Eastern Ghouta, Beit Nayem, lives with her family in a rented house in Rural Damascus, Jaramana.

During the tours of the outreach volunteers in the area, while introducing the local community to the services provided by SSSD, they met Ms. N.W. and had a chat with her. Crying out her need of support, as she was living, in her own words, “in an extremely stressful situation” due to her husband’s daily abuse, ORVs invited her to register at the community center to receive the appropriate service.

When she came to the CC and explained her situation, she was referred to the Psychosocial Support Programme. After taking part in the SSSD women’s sessions for a while, N.W. was referred to the PSS case-manager, as well as to the GBV case-manager, who, in turn, proposed that she gets a startup small business grant—a sewing workshop—, as this would be likely to empower her, make her self-reliant and, at once, relieve the terrible stress she was experiencing.

Upon her consent, Ms. N.W. attended an entrepreneurship course where she learned how to manage a project, handle an accounts book, etc. The woman expressed her sheer delight with “so much self-confidence” she gained from the course and fellow participants.

After the training, she was interviewed by the UNHCR and SSSD SSBG officers and her project proposal was accepted.

Not long after she had launched her small business, we made a follow-up visit to the workshop she had rented. During the visit, and through the conversation with her, the financial stability of the business was obvious. She told us that she was able to network with some school outfitters, so she could supply them with some of their needs in terms of modeling and sewing. She further said she was now able to secure a kindergarten premium for her daughter to learn and stay in a safe place during her working hours, which gave her inner comfort and peace.

In her own words,
“Whatever I say will fall short… I’m now able to depend on myself, be independent financially and morally, and therefore take the step of filing for divorce… I rented a house on my own. Work is good, and both my mother and I are working in the workshop. She also can buy the medicine for my sick father. This small business is like a weapon that made me stronger, more self-confident, so that I could change my circumstances for a more secure and stable life and, at the same time, help my parents…”
 

"I lost my home, my health, my life savings, and my source of income revolving production of clothes. I lost all hope in life," said Mrs. O.M.O.

Mrs. O.M.O, born in 1987, is an IDP coming from Aleppo and currently living in a rented flat in Al Qamishli City.

The outreach volunteer team attached to the Syrian Society for Social Development (SSSD) met the married woman along with her five children (3 males, 2 females) and later accompanied her to Beit Al-Kel Community Center, where she was nominated to receive a small business grant to launch a production workshop of Majales Arabia. Initially Mrs. O.M.O was enrolled in an entrepreneurship training course "to learn the basics of starting one's own business", as put by her.

Afterwards, the woman was interviewed by officers from UNHCR and the start-up small business grants program offered by SSSD to assess her business proposal and experience. Her proposal was approved and she was granted a sewing machine, an overlock sewing machine, and some raw materials (e.g. sponge and cloths).
SSSD team conducted several follow up visits to assess the woman's progress and it was easy for the PIC to witness the improvement of the woman's livelihood conditions.

The positive vibes were even visible in her words, "I enjoy the blessings of each new day. I gain more strength each and every day."
As days went by, the woman expanded her business and bought additional machines depending on her surplus profit.

She continuously works on improving the quality of her work and developing her skills.
Financial aid might initiate favorable change in people's lives; however, real change is about the art of giving infused with love along with the nurture of talents and experiences. And this is what the Syrian Society for Social Development aspires to achieve through its start-up small business grants program that is designed to reach out to the most vulnerable people.

"I am happy to pass my artisan experience to other people, especially the ones who have passion and enjoy being independent, the ones who are in need for support. I received unconditional support and I am working on giving back to the community. I started off with my kids and neighbors," the resilient woman revealed.

In a tent they were gathered, naked and barefoot, an internally displaced family from Al Raqqa, a widow with her three kids, her sick mother, and aunt.
The outreach volunteers attached to the Syrian Society for Social development found the family exposed to burning sun in an empty space of land in Um Al Fursan Neighborhood, Al Qamishli City, and invited her to Beit Al Kel Community Center, where she was introduced to its services and programs.
The woman told SSSD team about the hardships she is facing, namely, harassment, kidnapping, and poor livelihood conditions, especially that her husband is a martyr and there is no one to provide for her.
She requested helping her out in a finding a job to put bread on the table and cover the basics of life for her and her family. Within a few days SSSD officer responsible for the start-up small business grants program handled and followed up on her case, nominating her to receive a grant to launch her business, women clothing shop.

The woman attended an entrepreneur training course to prepare her to run her own business and enter the market supported with skills and the know-how.

The trainer ranked her excellent and thus she was referred for an interview with the PIC from UNHCR and SSSD who assessed her calculation and customer care skills and approved giving her a grant to launch her shop.
Upon conducting several follow up visits, SSSD team was happy to see the radical livelihood improvements.

The woman became independent and resilient, rented a flat to protect her family, provided medicine for her sick mother, and enrolled her children in school to resume their education.
The woman said that the business grant was a turning point in her life and her family's, at which she was able to ascend from a chaotic life to an organized one. She confidently said, "When life pushes you down, fall forward. It is your responsibility to fight for your kids.

It is your responsibility to be their role-model." And she carried on, "A Harsh circumstance is never a choice; however, we have the choice to seize opportunities, we have the choice to believe in our capacity to masterfully invest in those opportunities."

“As the proverb goes: Life consists of two days, one for you and one against you. Alas, days were always against me… “expressed Mr. N A in one of the Hear-My-Heart Programme sessions for men.

Mr. NA, a single young man born in 2000, was an IDP from the area of Tal Ahmad. He lived with his orphaned nephews in an unfinished house that was unsuitable to live in. To top it all off, he had a crippled hand and a mild speech impairment, which hindered his chances of getting a job.

He worked as a laborer at a popular factory for many years, but unfortunately lost his job. Nevertheless, he never lost his will to finding another job to support his family.

Luckily, his case was monitored by SSSD through the SBG Programme manager in cooperation with UNHCR, whereby he underwent an Entrepreneurship Course that he excelled at.

Consequently, he got the grant, and was assisted in his “popular restaurant” project.

His project was shown to be a great success through several follow-ups. He was finally able to support himself, his family and nephews. Also, he rented a comfortable house suitable for living.

In conclusion, Mr. NA expressed his happiness with the given opportunity. Such opportunities are seen as a beacon of hope for every person whose radiance is about to be extinguished by life’s harsh conditions.

Thus, one must never lose hope. Through determination and support, hope becomes our reality.

Ms.Siham, a 42-year-old resident of Douma who used to own a photography shop, is now a widow and mother to six children, whose ages range from primary school to college. She also has a missing nephew. Seven years ago, she was forced to flee from Douma to the ‘Adra Industrial Zone, after losing both home and shop, and was hosted by a family of her relatives.
When she betook herself to the SSSD community center in ‘Adra, Siham was clearly depressive. Her material want was mainly responsible for her deteriorating psychological condition. She was soon interviewed by the psychologist who referred her to the Small Business Grants Program in order to find a radical solution to her problem by securing her with a job that could sustain her and her children and offer the family a certain measure of autonomy.
Siham attended a training course in SMP creation and management. During the course, she was highly interactive with the coach thanks to her considerable past experience. After the course, she appeared before a committee and was selected to start up her own small business, namely that of a photography shop!
Once the business was launched, we visited Siham to follow up on her project. She was working hard to make it work and prosper.
She confirmed that her life had changed completely after the start of her business. Her material burdens receded and both her son and daughter could now leave work and resume college. Her psychological condition improved and her spirits rose high. She is more than motivated to develop her business—Beautiful Picture.
At the end of the visit, Siham expressed her heartfelt gratitude to SSSD for the services it offers to the community where she lives.

Believing in the necessity to promote vulnerable groups in community and help them keep pace with others in securing livelihoods and decent living, SSSD, with support from UNHCR, provided a small cattle farming grant (a cow) to Ms. M.H., who lives in al-3leiqa village with her four children and old sick father-in-law in the same house. The woman is the family’s sole provider, with no husband or regular income to support them.
Her new small business turned her into an effective person, capable henceforth of securing her needs and those of her children in food, drink, school uniforms, etc., thus dispensing with people’s pity and charitable donations

A.A, an exhausted young woman born in 1988, her hardship is double her age. With her husband gone missing at the beginning of the crisis, she was responsible for raising up 4 kids.
Her younger child is suffering from Hirschsprung disease, a terminal disease. The child went through 6 consecutive surgeries, with his mom by his side day and night.
Her biggest setback was when she had to flee her home in Qudsaya City to a collective shelter, where she was exposed to a lot of abuse and extortion, and as a result she left the shelter renting a small home, accompanied by her mom.
She worked in all sorts of manual labor, namely, house cleaner, sales person in a supermarket, a cashier in a center, a secretary in a dental laboratory. Making little income, the mother went through tough times leaving her kids behind for long hours.
While conducting field visits, the ORV team of SSSD referred the woman to the Small Business Grants Program. Meeting the criteria of the program, she was enrolled in the business entrepreneur training course to acquire planning skills to successfully manage her future project. Breaking her leg on the first day of the course did not stop her from completing the course, and later she attended the panel interview, at which her project proposal was approved.
It was easy to notice her eyes shining again… the woman launched Shahed Shop for Detergent Supplies with an approximate distance to her home.
After a while, SSSD team visited the woman in her shop, where she expressed her happiness of the project that brought in light into her life, providing her with high self-confidence and independency. She was thankful to the Syrian Society for Social Development for offering her the means to provide for her family and treat her very sick son.

Hanan is a woman with special needs. She is 38 years old. She lives with her sister in her family's home. Hanan suffers from polio which led to her disability, and she used a wheelchair, she relied on her sister's work in a library to pay for their living expenses.
When Hanan visited the center, she joined the group of people with disabilities who were committed to the group and liked to share with the volunteer and others.
They had a small grocery shop they had to sell to treat their father before his death, Hanan was monitoring for the small projects grant. After the monitoring, she showed excellent skills during the course and was granted a small project (Al Haneen shop). Hanan is the one who chose the name of the shop and chose the name of this story. She said that they returned the name of their former shop and obtained with her sister the source of income and guarantee for their future.
On the personal level, Hanan spoke of her great happiness for the people's look of her, her satisfaction and her sense of respect for the people and changing their perception of her, as she challenged her disability greatly and returned the name of their place and secured a source of income, as well as the opinion of the friends around her, which reflected her success on her relationship with everyone and her friends in the PWSNs group. All of this happened after getting this grant.
Hanan thanked the Association for its generosity and confidence in her ability, and said: "You really have noticed the people who are being marginalized and I will work to develop my shop”.