“Before, I would go into a shop, look at what my children needed, and leave because I could not afford it. Now, I can buy what we need.”

For 45-year-old Rania Ezzeddine, having a steady job has changed more than just her income. It has also changed how she views herself, her family and the future.

Rania lives in Madaya, Rural Damascus, where she endured years of conflict, siege and hunger. Divorced and raising two children, she spent years relying on seasonal daily work. Her 22-year-old daughter, Ghazal, studies information technology engineering, while her 19-year-old son, Ziad, works as a day labourer.

“I used to work during the summer, but in winter there was nothing,” Rania recalls. Going months without an income brought constant uncertainty. Beyond the financial pressure, staying home without work also took an emotional toll.

Things started to change when Rania found regular employment at Az-Zabdani Bakery following its rehabilitation.

For Rania, the biggest change is stability. Having regular working hours and a steady income means she no longer has to constantly search for her next job.

That sense of security has transformed seemingly ordinary moments. Rania can now enter a shop knowing she can afford necessities for her family. Some local shopkeepers, knowing she has regular employment, also allow her to pay in instalments, easing the pressure of everyday expenses.

But perhaps the most meaningful changes are happening at home.

In the past, long days without work sometimes brought frustration and tension into the family. Today, Rania comes home tired, but with a new sense of purpose. Sometimes, her son greets her with a cup of tea. Work, she says, has filled a space once occupied by worry and uncertainty.