"For a number of weeks every year, IKEA donates 1 euro for every soft toy sold to UNICEF and Save the Children, supporting projects aiming to improve children’s education.
Since the start in 2003, IKEA customers around the world have helped to raise 11 million euro, providing financing for projects in over 20 countries.
A chance to go to school The projects run by UNICEF and Save the Children, aim to improve children’s education. UNICEF and Save the Children want to give children around the world a chance to school, and to schools where the children are safe and protected. The main focus areas of the projects are:
- Improving the quality of education through teacher training, teaching materials, and learning materials for children such as exercise books, pens and pencils.
- Improving access to education through building schools and making them safe for children to be in and creating a good learning environment by providing school benches, desks, drinking water and toilets. Download project list (in English)
Albania reads """Albania reads"" is an Albanian government initiative to restore a culture of reading among the country’s youth. UNICEF supports this project with the help of IKEA. A total of 850 schools are targeted and already 190 schools have created libraries.
Ermedina Hoxha, 13, at Tomin Compulsory School in Peshkopia, one of the country’s poorest regions, has read all the books in the school’s library and wants to go to university and become a teacher. Meet her and other children in an UNICEF produced photo essay. Click to see the UNICEF photo essay (in English).
Children’s Activity Centre in China Hu Jun Jie, a 13 years old boy, joins the Children’s Activity Centre at Yangzheng Primary School in Hefei City, China.
The majority of the students at this school are left-behind and affected by migration of their parents. The Children’s Activity Centre, built by Save the Children, provides a safe space for the children to play and spend time together. This will help them in coping with being far away from their parents and in having confidence in themselves. Download the story of Hu Jun Jie (in English)
Co-operation to fight for children’s rights IKEA Social Initiative works together with UNICEF and Save the Children on more projects to give children a better start in life. Read more
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