Campaign for Palestinian refugee selling pens in Beirut goes viral

An internet campaign to raise funds for a Palestinian refugee filmed selling pens in Beirut with his daughter asleep on his shoulder has raised more than $100,000 within hours. The campaign went viral on its first day.

Abdul Halim Attar, who fled from the Syrian regime’s bombardment of the Yarmouk Palestinian refugee camp on the outskirts of Damascus, started selling pens in order to feed himself and his two children, Abdelillah, aged 9, and his daughter Reem, aged 4.

An Icelandic man who helps to run Conflict News and a Lebanese broadcaster Tweeted Attar’s image hoping to raise just $5,000 to help him start a new life. At the time of writing the crowdfunding campaign has raised a staggering $114,000 and is still climbing.

Broadcaster Carlo Malouf said that the goal of $5,000 was reached in the first 30 minutes. “This was never meant as a cap, just something to start with. Let’s make sure that Abdul Halim and his children can really start a great new life. All extra donations will of course go directly to them as well.”