IKEA Foundation launches 12 new partnerships in 2013, reaching millions of children in 35 countries, including Brazil, Syria, Thailand and South Sudan
“Last year was a remarkable journey for us at the IKEA Foundation,” said Per Heggenes, Chief Executive Officer of the IKEA Foundation. “By giving more than ever, we were able to develop innovative new partnerships, helping ensure we can reach 100 million children and their families by 2015.”
The IKEA Foundation, which works with a total of 31 nonprofit organizations, is the largest global corporate donor to UNICEF, the United Nations Refugee Agency (UNHCR), Save the Children, Clinton Health Access Initiative (CHAI) and KickStart International, to name but a few.
In 2013, the IKEA Foundation worked with UNHCR and Refugee Housing on the development of a safer, more durable emergency shelter with innovations such as solar lighting for refugee families.
“The IKEA Foundation is UNHCR’s largest private-sector partner, and together we hope to be able to transform the lives of many refugees,” said António Guterres, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR).
The 2013 Annual Review also reports that the Foundation:
- Donated 2 million euros to UNICEF, 1 million euros to Médecins Sans Frontières and 150,000 euros to Save the Children to bring lifesaving supplies to families caught up in Typhoon Haiyan (the Philippines).
- Donated 50,000 IKEA mattresses to UNHCR for Syrian refugee families.
- Raised over 10 million euros for UNICEF and Save the Children, thanks to dedicated IKEA co-workers and customers who supported the Soft Toys for Education campaign.
- Developed a partnership with Forest Trends that will help families from the Surui and Yawanawa tribes of Brazil develop sustainable ways to protect their rainforest homelands and improve their family incomes.
- Established a partnership with Care for Children, which works with governments in Asia to help them place orphans into local families.
- Expanded its partnership with Development Alternatives to teach women in India how to read, write and do basic math.
- Funded scholarships for nearly 2,000 women through a partnership with the Lila Poonawalla Foundation, which helps young women from poor families in India pursue higher education in engineering and other professional fields.
About IKEA Foundation
The IKEA Foundation aims to improve opportunities for children and youth in the world’s poorest communities by funding holistic, long-term programs that can create substantial, lasting change. The Foundation works with strong strategic partners applying innovative approaches to achieve large-scale results in four fundamental areas of a child’s life: a place to call home; a healthy start in life; a quality education; and sustainable family income. Currently-funded programs benefit an estimated 100 million children by 2015. Learn more at www.ikeafoundation.org and www.facebook.com/IKEAfoundation
*Bloomberg exchange rate at 31 December 2013