Murhaf Hamid finally granted Swedish residence

The 12-year-old Murhaf Hamid finally received his Swedish residence permit after raising more than €5 million for charity. 

Murhaf achieved incredible results by selling paper flower pins, the profits of which are forwarded to Sweden´s Majblomma (mayflower) charity. 

Murhaf´s efforts, however, were not recognised by some residents who threatened him in person and on social media. Murhaf faced racist comments from white Swedish adults.

A friend of Murhaf´s mother spoke out about the racial injustice in a social media post which received a flood of public support. To show their support, people including notable public figures and the Prime Minister, Ulf Kristersson, continued to buy the Mayflowers.

Murhaf reached 5,002,655 SEK (€5 million); a record-breaking amount about which the charity´s head, Ase Henell said: “We have never seen anything like this before, and we´ve been around for more than 100 years.”

The charity scheme grants 10 per cent of the money raised to the child and Murhaf wanted to use the money to obtain a residence for himself and his brother. Murhaf was born in Sweden to Ethiopian asylum-seeking parents. The family was rejected from obtaining a Swedish residence and Ethiopia refused to accept them.

A law firm, Fridh Advokatbyrå, commented on social media: “Today it takes around 14 years of living without papers for a child to establish a special connection to Sweden, which in the best case can lead to a residence permit. The fact that so many children have to live in a vulnerable situation for so long in Sweden says something about the Swedish state’s view on what’s ‘best for the child.””

Due to his incredible achievements for the charity, Murhaf finally received his residence permit. Fridh Advokatbyrå stated that he didn´t have to use his per cent of the profit, as Murhaf and his family have now been granted residence permits “chiefly due to Murhaf’s strong connection to Sweden”.