A SHORT STRAND man has raised over £8,000 for a refugee centre in Palestine by selling a range of unique Palestinian products.
Laochra Mac Iomaire, a Community Development Support Officer at Glór na Móna, runs the website www.gaeilge.bigcartel.com/ which sells Palestinian sports jerseys, t-shirts, stickers and more.
All proceeds raised go directly to Lajee Center-Aida Camp in Palestine – a community-based grassroots creative cultural centre, that works with new generations of Palestinians as they continue their ongoing struggle for justice and rights for Palestine and all Palestinians.
Laochra, who volunteered in Palestine earlier this year, says he wanted to do something to support people living in the region.
"I started the website around a year ago with Irish language products just to get the language out there more and also to be seen more," he explained.
"I was in Palestine during the summer volunteering in a summer camp and was looking a sports top but couldn’t find one. I ended up designing one myself and we ordered 100 tops and they sold out straight away.
"I have now raised over £8,000. One hundred per cent of all profits collected go directly to Lajee Center-Aida Camp in Palestine.
"People see buying the products as a way of supporting the Palestinian people on the ground. I wanted to push Palestine to the front. I have a very personal connection with people out there."
