Sales of soft toys at Swedish retailer donated to UN children's education projects
25 February 2008 - United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) educational projects in nine countries around the world stand to benefit
after the UN agency received nearly $4 million in proceeds from the pre-Christmas sale of soft toys at outlets of the
Swedish retail chain IKEA.
The agency announced today in a press release that IKEA's Soft Toy Campaign, now in its third year, had raised €4.2
million after the retailer donated €1 for every toy it sold around the worldwide between 3 November and 24 December. The
funds will be divided between UNICEF and Save the Children education projects.
Philip O'Brien, UNICEF's director of private fundraising and partnerships, said the agency was grateful to the customers
and staff of IKEA who have supported the project, known as 'One Euro is a Fortune.'
The proceeds will go to UNICEF projects in Albania, Bangladesh, China, Côte d'Ivoire, India, Pakistan, Russia, Sierra
Leone and Viet Nam. In one project in Albania, libraries will be opened in some 850 schools - which teach more than
200,000 school children - across the small European country.
ENDS