Every household should have a stock of spare light bulbs but if you haven’t quite gotten around to buying them yet, there’s never been a better time. 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.
Almost 11.7 million refugees are currently 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. Solar lanterns allow children to study after dark and 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.
