Liverpool-based fundraising group for children’s hospital in Yemen launches unique fashion sale
Habibti Liverpool are becoming well known in the city for their inclusive events, sales and fundraising which raise vital funds and resources which go directly to the Al-Sabeen Children’s Hospital in Sana’a in Yemen.
Habibti was first launched when Dr. Najla Al-Sonboli returned to Yemen after some time at the Liverpool School of Tropical Medicine. As war broke out there, Dr. Najla decided to remain, and with the help of Professor Sally Theobald and her colleagues and alumni at LSTM, this groundbreaking fundraising effort based around one major medical facility was born. Al-Sabeen Hospital is the only centre in Yemen with a functioning Paediatric Intensive Care Unit aiming to provide accessible adequate medical care.
Habibti as a solidarity fundraising group supports Al-Sabeen on many levels. It is able to provide key resources to help health workers do their jobs, PPE, purchase vital life saving machines, basic medical equipment and pay for tests and investigations that families cannot afford for their child. International aid to support Al-Sabeen and other hospitals in need has been cut by up to 80% since 2021.
The team behind Habibti are well aware of the challenges facing the health care workers they are helping to fund, and the children desperately in need of their assistance. However, as a fundraising group they aim to keep their efforts at home as uplifting, joyous and fun as possible.
Their regular pop-up shops at Granby Market in Liverpool 8, on the first Saturday of every month, are real community affairs – they give everyone in the family a chance to pick up a bargain, from toys to books to clothing. Their ‘pocket money toys’ start at just 10p, and they set a cap of £10 for any item, to ensure their pop-up is accessible and affordable.
During lockdown periods the Habibti team had to get creative with fundraising, and turned to their online Facebook community. As Habibti started attracting national attention, as well as local support, plus some international input, the team decided to launch their first online fashion sale. This was to sell specially curated vintage fashion items, designer pieces, and donated silks from India and China.
As some of these items were valuable, the online fashion sales were able to raise increasing funds, as the market for vintage and rare pieces has really grown as a fashion marketplace.
For their next Facebook fashion sale on Saturday April 9th on the Habibti Facebook page, the team are proud to present amongst their ticket items a stunning lace cape shawl. Made of antique Irish lace, it has been rejuvenated painstakingly to restore it to its former glory, with some tiny fuschia pink detailing added to complete its glow up.
The team behind Habibti Liverpool, who are all volunteers who give of their time and efforts freely, appreciate the support they receive through all of their fundraising initiatives, and their next fashion sale will give style hunters a chance to pick up some covetable pieces, knowing their purchases will really help a community which requires ongoing and sustained support.
To donate directly to raise funds for the Habibti Liverpool group go to:
https://www.justgiving.com/crowdfunding/habibtiliverpool?utm_term=MPx4p9m7g
The Habibti Ramadan fashion sale is live on their Facebook page at 7 pm on Saturday 9th April 2022:
https://www.facebook.com/HabibtiLiverpool/
https://www.instagram.com/habibti_liverpool/