A struggling man sells pens on the street to make a living: A photo transforms him into an entrepreneur.
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Sometimes, life can be very difficult and confront us with complex problems that can literally ruin years of plans. Abdul Halim Al-Attar, a single father who fled the Syrian civil war and had to seek refuge far away from his country, is an example of this.
Abdul was working in a chocolate factory in Damascus while he was in Lebanon selling pens with his children on the streets of Beirut. He captured this tender scene in a photo taken by a passerby and posted it on social media. The same photo caught the attention of Norwegian journalist and web developer Gissur Simonarson, who came up with the idea of launching a campaign to help Abdul and his children, aiming to raise at least $5,000.
After the launch of the initial campaign, Abdul and his two children left the hostel where they were staying and moved into a rented accommodation to provide a more comfortable environment for the children.
His four-year-old daughter, Rima, the girl from the famous photo, is delighted with her new toys, and his nine-year-old son, Abdullah, has returned to school after a three-year interruption.
