Refugees’ lives get brighter, thanks to IKEA Foundation and UNHCR

On 1 February 2015, the IKEA Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign returns to raise millions of euros for refugees living around the world.

For every LED light bulb purchased in IKEA stores in February and March 2015, the IKEA Foundation will donate €1 to help UNHCR light refugee camps—making them a safer, more suitable place for the many families who live there.

How the campaign helps refugees

Today there are almost 13 million refugees under UNHCR’s care, half of whom are children. For those refugees living in camps, all livelihood, social and educational activities usually stop after sundown, because refugee camps can be extremely dark places. Thanks to the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, many now have lighting and energy solutions.

Part of the funds from last year’s campaign have been used to help over 11,000 Syrian refugees living in Azraq refugee camp, Jordan, by providing families with a solar-powered lantern, which can be used for mobile-phone charging and as a light source so families can carry on with their everyday activities. Solar lanterns allow girls and boys to study after dark, helping them with their education and progress in school. Lanterns and solar street lights mean that adults can continue working and communities can have social gatherings after sunset.

The Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign launched for the first time in 2014, with IKEA co-workers and customers helping raise a remarkable €7.7 million.

This year, the IKEA Foundation hopes the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign will raise even more money so they can help thousands more refugees lead a better everyday life.

About IKEA Group

Our vision is to create a better everyday life for the many people and we offer well designed, functional and affordable, high quality home furnishing, produced with care for people and the environment. The IKEA Group has 315 stores in 27 countries. In addition there are more than 40 stores run by franchisees outside the IKEA Group. The IKEA Group had 716 million visitors during FY14 and 1.5 billion people visited IKEA.com.  www.ikea.com

About IKEA Foundation

The IKEA Foundation aims to improve opportunities for children and youth in some of the world’s poorest communities by funding holistic, long-term programmes that can create substantial, lasting change. The IKEA 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 programmes benefit an estimated 100 million children. Learn more at www.ikeafoundation.org and www.facebook.com/IKEAfoundation

About UNHCR – The UN refugee agency

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, also known as the UN refugee agency, was established on December 14, 1950 by the United Nations General Assembly. It is mandated to lead and co-ordinate international action to protect refugees and resolve refugee problems worldwide. Its primary purpose is to safeguard the rights and well-being of refugees. It strives to ensure that everyone can exercise the right to seek asylum and find safe refuge in another State, with the option to return home voluntarily, integrate locally or to resettle in a third country. It also has a mandate to help stateless people. In more than six decades, the agency has helped tens of millions of people restart their lives.

Learn more by visiting:

www.unhcr.org

www.facebook.com/UNHCR

www.twitter.com/refugees