Murhaf Hamid has smashed a charity fundraising record and won hearts across Sweden after a social media post about him facing racism while out collecting money went viral.
The 11-year-old boy born to Ethiopian parents in Sweden has totted up $233,000 selling paper flower pins in a traditional yearly campaign for the Majblomman (Mayflower) children's charity.
Murhaf has even managed to sell a pin to the Prime Minister.
Children usually raise about 1,300 kronor ($126) selling the floral badges, but Murhaf has secured a staggering 2.4 million kronor so far.
The young fundraisers earn a 10 per cent commission on the pins they sell and are allowed to keep any tips they receive.
“We have never seen anything like this before, and we've been around for more than 100 years,” the charity's boss Ase Henell told AFP.
Children sell the flowers door-to-door as well as online.
Dubai pupil, 9, raises money for children in need — in pictures
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Finlay Reeves, 9, a British pupil at Brighton College Dubai, has walked 60 kilometres across the UAE for a good cause. Here, he is pictured with his younger brother, Frankie, 7. All photos: Abigail Reeves -
Finlay and his brother Frankie walk in the desert. -
Finlay hiked through wadis and on the edges of mangroves, used ropes to ascend mountains and walked through deserted villages in the UAE to raise money for underprivileged children. -
Finlay set himself the challenge to raise money for Football for Humanity, a UK-based charity and was able to raise £3,500. -
Of all the emirates, Finlay’s favourite hike was in Ras Al Khaimah. -
In Ras Al Khaimah, Finlay hiked through Wadi Naqab and Wadi Koob. -
Darren Reeves, Finlay’s father, says he and his wife noticed that their son was a capable hiker very early on. -
His challenge ended on March 27 when Expo 2020 Dubai hosted Finlay and his friends to complete a 7km trek within the site grounds. -
Finlay and his friends at Expo 2020 Dubai.
Murhaf said that on his first day out raising funds, some adults told him to get off the street and he sold only a few pins in five hours.
When he told a family friend that he thought it may have been due to racism, the friend wrote about his efforts on Facebook.
The post went viral and Murhaf received a flood of support — but there were also racist comments.
Political leaders, including Prime Minister Ulf Kristersson, have since come out in support of Murhaf on social media and bought pins from him.
Laila Rahman, the family friend who wrote the viral Facebook post, told AFP she was “still very shocked”.
“I've shared a lot of posts before but nothing's ever gone this viral,” she said. She added that the attention the story was getting was about “so much more than just his sales”.
“It's also raising awareness for the whole situation with a boy who was born in Sweden almost 12 years ago and his family's [asylum] application still being processed,” she said.
If parents in Sweden do not have residency status, their children do not automatically qualify for residency by birth.
The Aftonbladet newspaper reported that after his fundraising bonanza, Murhaf asked his mother: 'Is it possible to buy permanent residency?'
“No, unfortunately not,” came the reply.
Murhaf, who lives in Glimakra in southern Sweden, said he had initially hoped to earn a little extra pocket money, but never expected to make so much.
His fundraising is not done yet — this year's Majblomman campaign, which began on April 18, runs until May 3.
The charity helps poor children in Sweden, providing clothing and paying for activities they cannot afford.
Murhaf has already thought about what he is going to do with the money he makes.
“I'm going to buy myself some clothes, trainers and a few things for my family,” he said.
