DUBAI // Hundreds of children in day-care centres, hospitals, shelters and juvenile institutions will be given soft toys as part of a charity campaign.
Customers visiting Ikea stores in Abu Dhabi and Dubai during the two month-long Soft Toys for Education initiative, which starts next week, will be urged to buy cuddly toys for disadvantaged youngsters.
The Supreme Council for Motherhood and Childhood, an Abu Dhabi charity, will help to distribute the toys to children under the age of 12 at Al Mafraq Juvenile Care Centre in Abu Dhabi, and across the UAE.
“We want to show that we care for the most vulnerable section of the society,” said Mohamed Al Mansoor, an adviser at the charity, ahead of the campaign’s November 10 launch.
“Any action like this will help kids. We want to create a change in mentality in the society towards them.”
This is the campaign’s second year in the UAE. Ikea did not reveal how many toys were distributed last year from its two branches in the country.
The Swedish furniture chain will donate Dh5 for every soft toy sold worldwide to support Unicef’s educational programmes.
About €9.3 million (Dh46.1m) was raised for Unicef last year. It is hoped that €10m will be raised this year.
Unicef said the initiative had helped to educate many children.
“More than 77 million children are out of schools globally,” said Ibrahim El-Ziq, Unicef’s representative in the Arabian Gulf.
“That requires a lot of work from all of us – Unicef, Ikea and governments cannot do it alone. We have to ensure that children realise their fundamental right to go to school.”
John Kersten, managing director of Ikea for the UAE, Qatar, Egypt and Oman, said: “Education is the most powerful and effective way to help children escape poverty. The change it can bring to a young life is immense.”
pkannan@thenational.ae
