An avid Tunisian Garena Free Fire gamer has used his gaming skills to raise $1,500 for a hospital in his homeland to help fight the COVID-19 pandemic. Determined to assist those in need in his native Tunisia and inspired by the actions of popular public figures, Wassim Dhieb turned to his passion of gaming to make a difference.
Having started playing the popular Free Fire game in October 2018, the 27-year-old hosted a 12-hour stream that was broadcasted live on his YouTube channel to his 329,000 followers.
His determination and efforts did not go unnoticed as more than 70 members of the gaming community from countries around the world including the USA, Morocco, Egypt and Tunisia stepped forward to contribute through PayPal. His popularity also grew rapidly in the space of hours due to exposure of his fundraising activity from the Tunisian media.
With their kind generosity, Wassim, will donate every single penny to a hospital in Kasserine in north-west Tunisia. It will benefit the hospital’s front-line medical workers and patients in combating the pandemic that has affected millions of people globally.
Wassim expressed his gratitude to the worldwide gaming community for pulling together and being part of his fundraising initiative.
Wassim said: “I would like to thank everyone who has donated to this fundraiser as without their support, I would not have been able to raise so much money for a hospital in Tunisia. As a Tunisian citizen, I wanted to help in any way I could as it was difficult to see people suffering in my own country.
“I was inspired by celebrities who were doing their share of helping out the people in need. I felt I could do the same and decided to play Free Fire on a live steam to raise funds. It was my first time and I feel really proud to have raised so much.
“It was fantastic to see the gaming community come together and unite and I hope this money will make a difference to the everyday lives who are affected by this pandemic.”
Wassim hopes to host more fundraising activities in the future and put his Free Fire gaming skills to the test regularly.
He added: “This is just the start and my aim is to do more of these activities and raise funds that will benefit many countries. Thanks to Garena Free Fire, I am now a well-known gamer in the community. For me, it’s not just a game – it’s allowed me to enjoy a second life without my family and connect me to people from all around the world.”