IKEA’s global campaign raises $33.4million for Refugees

IKEA’s brighter lives for refugees campaign has raised $33.4 million for UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, to provide light and renewable energy sources for refugee families living in camps in Asia, Africa and the Middle East.

The money was raised from the sale of LED light bulbs and lamps between February 2014 and December 2015. IKEA customers and co-workers in more than 300 stores in 40 countries have made the campaign a stunning success. The IKEA Foundation donated $1.09 for every LED product sold in IKEA stores and online.

The Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign ran over three periods, with the most recent lasting from November 29 to December 19, 2015. This last phase raised $13.4 million (EUR12.4 million), allowing UNHCR to provide light and energy to hundreds of thousands of refugees in Asia, Africa and the Middle East. The money raised will also allow thousands of children to go to school. In the U.S. alone, IKEA sold 870,899 LED products during the BLFR campaign.

The provision of light and energy from renewable sources will make refugee camps safer and more suitable for the many families who live there. While conflict and persecution are the leading causes of forced displacement, UNHCR is also concerned about the rising number of people displaced as a result of climate change and related problems.

UNHCR is adapting solutions to local conditions, such as a solar-powered farm in Jordan’s Azraq refugee camp. Set up with funding from the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign, the farm will eventually cover the energy needs of 60,000 refugees. It will also reduce CO² emissions by 3,500 tons per year which would otherwise be generated from fossil fuel consumption.

“We are grateful for the IKEA Foundation, its co-workers and customers who have made the Brighter Lives for Refugees such a success. And we applaud IKEA’s leadership and hope that it will inspire other companies and foundations to make similar commitments to support refugees,” said Anne-Marie Grey, Executive Director and Chief Executive Officer of USA for UNHCR.

Per Heggenes, Chief Executive Officer of the IKEA Foundation, said the Brighter Lives for Refugees campaign “has been hugely successful, allowing us to contribute millions of euros to help some of the most vulnerable people on our planet. This is due to hardworking IKEA co-workers and loyal customers.” He said he was “immensely proud that the IKEA Foundation has been able to help UNHCR provide much-needed sustainable energy and education to thousands of refugee children and families, making their lives a little bit brighter.