SALES OF SOFT TOYS AT SWEDISH RETAILER DONATED TO UN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PROJECTS

SALES OF SOFT TOYS AT SWEDISH RETAILER DONATED TO UN CHILDREN'S EDUCATION PROJECTS New York, Feb 25 2008 6:51PM United Nations Children's Fund (<"http://www.unicef.org/">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.
2008-02-25 00:00:00.000

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