Anonymous Seller – Find Out About Abdul’s Story
The innocent are the greatest victims of war. Even if they do not die, they are forced to flee their family homes in search of shelter; often to far-away countries where they could feel safe. It was similar with our hero. Abdul – an anonymous salesman – is a reflection of paternal desperation and love.
We are currently dealing with a bloody conflict in Syria. It is estimated that the number of victims has already exceeded 220,000 people. Syrians, fearing for their own lives, flee the country in the hope of finding a better place to live.
We would like to tell you the story of one of the escapees who is now in Beirut. He is known as an anonymous seller . His real name is Abdul – a single father who proved that love and willpower can move mountains.
Anonymous seller and his history
The “anonymous seller” went to Beirut. He only had 8 blue pens with him and a four-year-old daughter who accompanied him on his escape from the war. He lived in the streets of the city trying to protect his greatest treasure. At night, he shielded his daughter with his own body to keep her safe from the cold and from the ubiquitous drug addicts.
Each morning, as soon as his daughter opened her eyes, Abdul wandered around town selling the only thing that could help him get a little money to survive: his pens.
His sore expression caught the attention of an Oslo volunteer, Gissur Simonarson, who, unaware of the consequences to come, took a photo of him and posted it on social networks.
A few minutes later, the photo spread all over the world and everyone knew the face of a man who – despite the difficulties – is looking for help for himself and his daughter.
Gissur could not imagine that with one photo he would change the fate of that man. The photography reached thousands of people and received a huge emotional response. It was considered one of the most touching in the history of the Syrian conflict.
Of course, it didn’t just stop with the comments. Immediately voices of people wanting to actually help this dirty father began to appear. For millions of people, the “anonymous seller” deserved support. However, it was not known where to find him.
After several days of intense searching, Gissur managed to meet Abdul again. He told him about the amazing response from the public and offered to help.
How the case turned out
A financial aid for a single father began to be collected via Twitter. The idea was to raise $5,000. The sum was reached in just 30 minutes, and the final amount given to Abdul was $80,000.
The money raised meant a new, better start for Abdul and – above all – a dignified life for his four-year-old daughter. As soon as he heard the news of the donations, he fell to his knees and couldn’t stop crying.
Abdul is one of four million people who have been forced to flee a brutal war. This is an example of the enormous consequences of the conflict in Syria; especially for innocent people.
He now has a roof over his head and a new life by his daughter’s side. The girl will be able to go to school and will not know hunger any more. Our “anonymous seller” in one of the interviews assured that the money donated to him will be useful not only to him, but also to other refugees.
“ Thank you for your generosity, and most of all, thank you for restoring my daughter’s smile,” said Abdul, a 35-year-old father who left his country to save his beloved daughter’s life.
