Ismail, a forty-year-old father, fled Aleppo with his wife and four children, leaving behind their home and shoe store.
They settled in a rented house in the town of Al-Qaryain in Sweida, where he and his wife were forced to work temporary daily jobs to support their large family.
After visiting a community center in Ara, Ismail joined an entrepreneurship course and received a grant from the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, with support from UNHCR. This grant enabled him to open a shoe store. Drawing on his previous experience, Ismail quickly gained market acceptance and began to rebuild his family’s lives.
“The grant gave me my career and my life back,” Ismail says.
He was able to pay off his accumulated debts, expand his shop, and renovate their house. Ismail’s success also allowed him to distribute his goods to shops in the area and neighboring areas, providing for his family and easing their concerns.
