Syrian refugee who sold pens in the street now owns three businesses after online campaign

Abdul Halim al-Attar, a refugee from Syria who was photographed selling pens in the streets of Beirut, is now running three businesses in the city after Read More: an online crowdfunding campaign in his name collected $191,000.

Abdul in his new café (Hussein Malla/AP)

The 33-year-old father of two opened a bakery two months ago and has since added a kebab shop and a small restaurant to his business venture. He employs 16 Syrian refugees.

The photograph of al-Attar carrying his sleeping daughter on his shoulder while trying to sell pens to passing motorists in the scorching heat went viral this past summer and touched people across the world.