07.11.03
IKEA, UNICEF and Save the Children Team up to Provide Quality Education
Contact: Media Relations, IKEA Group Charlotte Lindgren, phone +46 42 26 71 35, prco@memo.ikea.com
Soft Toy Campaign "€1 is a fortune..." seeks to raise €4 million
Between November 3 and December 24, 2007, IKEA will donate 1 Euro for every Soft Toy sold. The donations go to UNICEF and Save the Children education projects in nine countries. Since 2003, Soft Toy activities have raised a total of 6.9 million Euros. The goal for 2007 is to raise another 4 million Euros.
For the third consecutive year, the "€1 is a fortune... a child's smile is worth so much" IKEA Soft Toy Campaign will help children in need. In 2008, twelve projects in nine countries will focus on improving children's education. IKEA's strategic partnerships with UNICEF and Save the Children's Fund contribute to achieving the Millennium Development Goals.
Equal access to education for all girls and boys and quality education in a child-friendly environment is the foundation. By ensuring all children access to education, it becomes possible to build the knowledge necessary to combat disease and eradicate poverty and hunger.
The funds raised during the 2007 Soft Toy Campaign will support efforts including improving school facilities and access to water and toilets, and providing school benches, desks and educational supplies like books, pencils and writing pads for children and teachers.
"We are proud that IKEA can be a part of giving children access to quality education. Together with our customers, we can make a difference for children that really need it and we hope to reach our goal for four million Euros this year," said Marianne Barner, IKEA Communications Manager and Children's Ombudsman.
In the run-up to the holiday season, the "€1 is a fortune..." IKEA Soft Toy campaign is an opportunity for both IKEA customers and employees to get involved in working for children. The money raised from selling one toy can buy a school 20 pencils and two geometry sets - and will bring countless smiles on the faces of so many children eager to learn and thrive.
"UNICEF's partnership with IKEA is priceless. Our common commitment to continue to work towards measurable results in the best interest of children will make the world a better place," said Anne-Marie Grey, Chief of International and Corporate Alliances for UNICEF.
The 2007 campaign will benefit UNICEF projects in Albania, Bangladesh, China, Côte d'Ivoire, India, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra Leone and Vietnam.
Education enhances lives. It ends generational cycles of poverty and disease and provides the means for sustainable development. A quality basic education will better equip girls and boys to build lives and realize dreams.
"Save the Children is grateful for the support from the third Soft Toy campaign. Just as example of what we can achieve together, we have prevented child trafficking in Romania and Albania, disabled children in Russia can continue to stay with their families, and more than 20,000 children have been provided health and nutrition benefits in Bangladesh," says Simon Colwell, Secretary General for Save the Children.
For more information:
Save the Children - www.savethechildren.net.
UNICEF - www.unicef.org.
IKEA - Read more under projects we support.
