Reciprocity takes concrete form in Mona Aad’s story.
A resident of Rabah, Mona is a woman who knows the burden of days spent in the fields and the tenacity of those who never give up. Married and mother of two children—a boy and a girl—Mona has long divided her life between agricultural work and a job in Homs. Yet, she was missing one thing she considered essential: a high school diploma. A goal postponed, but not forgotten, that Mona decided to achieve side by side with her children, studying alongside them until graduation. But this wasn’t the only goal she achieved.
Before the turning point, there was home cooking and artisanal production of preserves—like pickled eggplant—and small quantities of baked goods. A tiny bakery, bare-bones resources, and an inevitably limited turnover.
Then came the meeting that redefined the future: learning about the RestarT program. Mona presented her idea, believed in it, and was rewarded.
The program opened the doors to new development for her, providing her with the necessary equipment: a suitable oven, a mixer, a rolling pin, bags, and molds. Tools that might seem simple, but for Mona, they made all the difference.
A question of reciprocity
Thanks to that support, production has literally taken off. Where before, five kilos of dough had to be laboriously processed by hand, today the mixer can handle twenty-five; the work has become faster, more precise, and able to meet a constantly growing demand. 
Today, Mona’s dream doesn’t stop there: she looks ahead, wanting to expand her range of sweets and consolidate her business. But the real profit, as she puts it, isn’t measured simply in kilos of flour or orders fulfilled. It’s a question of reciprocity.
Strengthened by the support she received, Mona has chosen not to forget those who struggle: she sells her products at cost price to people who can’t afford to buy them, asking in return only the value of the ingredients and eliminating labor costs.
Just as the RestarT program reached out to her in times of need, Mona extends hers, offering food and support. Because, as she likes to say, “people need each other.”