Customer Organizes Fundraiser After Smartphone of Barber is Stolen
INDIA – A touching story emerged from Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh, India, where a customer’s generosity made a significant impact on a local barber named Sonu. Sonu, whose real name is Ghaziabad Ka Aalim Hakim, had his smartphone stolen in early July 2024. Known simply as Sonu by his regulars at Sonu Kings Salon, he was left without a phone, which sparked concern among his patrons.
One of Sonu’s loyal customers decided to help by starting a crowdfunding campaign on Milaap, an Indian crowdfunding app. The goal was to raise 15,000 Indian Rupees (around PHP10,500) to purchase a new smartphone for Sonu. To encourage donations, the customer created T-shirts with a QR code linked directly to the donation page. This effort caught the attention of Pooja Sanwal, a user on X (formerly Twitter), who spotted the customer wearing the T-shirt and shared a photo with her followers on July 16.
Pooja’s tweet, which included a crying emoji, quickly went viral. She encouraged her followers to read the full story behind the fundraiser. According to the customer’s description, the barber is a kind and considerate individual who listens to everyone’s problems without judgment. The customer also expressed a personal connection, enjoying Sonu’s playlist of songs during his haircuts.
The viral tweet reached the Nothing Phone manufacturers, a British electronics company based in London, founded by Carl Pei, a co-founder of OnePlus. On July 17, 2024, Akis Evangelidis, Nothing Phone’s co-founder and Head of Marketing, responded to the tweet, expressing admiration for the customer’s gesture and promising to provide a phone for Sonu.
According to PEP.ph, the company’s staff soon surprised Sonu with a new Nothing Phone 1, valued at 30,000 Indian Rupees (about PHP20,943.35). Nothing India shared a photo of Sonu with his new phone on their official X account, which garnered substantial engagement from the public. The positive reaction highlighted how acts of generosity and brand involvement can foster meaningful connections within communities.
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