Gamer & content maker’s livestream raises $1m for UNHCR
Melanie May | 4 November 2021 | News
Content creator, gamer and YouTuber AboFlah has raised US$1 million in a 28-hour charity live stream for UNHCR, The UN Refugee Agency.
A content creator for Dubai-headquartered esports, gaming and lifestyle organisation Galaxy Racer, Hassan ‘AboFlah’ Suleiman started live streaming on his YouTube channel on 29 October, continuing for 28 hours until he hit the target of US$1m, with donations coming in from all over the world.
His live stream reached over 588,000 peak concurrent views and over 28 million total views, smashing multiple streaming records regionally, including being the Top 5 Global content creator on YouTube for peak concurrent views.
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AboFlah decided to honour reaching 20 million subscribers by partnering with UNHCR to help refugees this winter and launch its Warm Their Hearts campaign. He pledged to stream until he reached his US $1m goal to provide for over 5,600 families (more than 17,000 people) with winter aid that will secure shelter, warm food and clothing, fuel for heating, as well as medicine.
The feat follows a string of charity streams AboFlah has conducted when hitting previous milestones, including raising money to build a hospital, a well in Africa for those without access to drinking water, a mosque, houses for refugees in Syria as well as organising thousands of cataract surgeries.
AboFlah commented:
“After hitting another major milestone on my channel with 20m subscribers, I am truly honoured and grateful to share that we’ve hit the US$1m target with UNHCR’s charity fundraising live stream for refugees and displaced families in the region. I wouldn’t have been able to do these charity streams and give back to the community without the incredible support from my fans. Thank you to everyone who has supported me so far.”
UNHCR’s Chief of Private Sector Partnerships in MENA (Middle East and North Africa), Houssam Chahine commented:
“With the winter season fast approaching, many refugees and internally displaced families rely on UNHCR’s assistance to be able to afford to keep safe and warm and provide their children with shelter, food and medicine. The cold season brings with it additional costs of heating, home insulation, warm clothes, and/or medical expenses, for families already facing difficulty meeting their basic needs.
“We are grateful to generous individuals like AboFlah, who use their platform, reach and influence for good. We hope AboFlah and Galaxy Racer’s determination to mobilise their community for a good cause is a shining example and inspiration for youth in the region to take action to support refugees and internally displaced people and encourage an increase in responsibility-sharing and support from the private sector as well in addressing the needs of displaced communities.”
Launching his YouTube channel in 2017, AboFlah began posting gaming content of him playing FIFA17 before creating content on Fall Guys and Fortnite. AboFlah joined Galaxy Racer’s content creator team earlier this year.
About Melanie May
Melanie May is a journalist and copywriter specialising in writing both for and about the charity and marketing services sectors since 2001. She can be reached via thepurplepim.com.