We gave more funding in 2016 than ever before!
March 13, 2017
Millions of children worldwide are enjoying happier, healthier childhoods, thanks to €142 million in grants that the IKEA Foundation gave its partners in 2016. The Foundation’s 2016 annual review, published today, shares beautiful photos and inspiring stories from throughout the year, particularly highlighting how grants are helping refugee children and enabling communities cope with and fight climate change.
The Foundation gave over €20 million more in 2016 than in 2015. It now has 61 partners—13 of them new in 2016—and is supporting programmes in 43 countries.
Changing lives
The magazine-style review walks readers through the year as it unfolded. It includes stories from some of the people who have seen their lives changed by programmes funded by the IKEA Foundation—people like Yunnis, a father who fled Syria with his young family and lived in a refugee camp without any lights until the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign funded solar streetlights and lanterns.
“The streetlights and solar lanterns have changed our lives,” said Yunnis. “The children feel safer as they can identify the animals making the noises in the night. They don’t fear the monsters anymore, so they are not so scared to go outside at night.”
A challenging year
Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation, said: “For many people, 2016 was another challenging year. Children are the ones suffering the most, and that is why our work and the work of our partners remains more vital than ever before. We hope everyone who reads our annual review will be inspired by seeing how children are finding better opportunities to improve their lives.”
Read the 2016 annual review (pdf)
