If you know me personally you know I love IKEA. Unfortunately the closest one to us is a few hours away, but any time we are up in the Phoenix area, I make it a point to stop in. Between the decor, the prices, the displays and the kiddie drop off play area, it’s a little slice of heaven here on Earth! If you love to shop at IKEA as much as I do, I wanted to let you know about a pretty amazing thing happening there right now. IKEA had partnered up with UNICEF and Save the Children to help raise money for the IKEA Foundation, which helps to support education throughout the world. Right now for every soft toy and children’s book sold between November 9, 2014 and January 3, 2015, the IKEA Foundation will donate $1 to children’s education through UNICEF and Save the Children.
A quality education for ourselves and our children is something that we can often take for granted. I know I wake up each school morning and put my kids on a safe bus and send them to one of the top rated public schools in the state. My kids are loved, cared for and receive a high quality education and come home at the end of the day with such a vibrancy for life and learning. My husband and I received our degrees in education and many of you know that I taught 1st grade for 7 years. Having the background we have and knowing how the world works, my husband and I put education number one in our kids lives. Nothing is more important. I always tell my kids that they can do anything in the world they dream of- as long as they get their college degree first.
Unfortunately there are so many countries that don’t have the same educational luxuries as we have, which is why the IKEA Foundation is such an amazing organization. Just by shopping for certain toys we would normally buy anyways (especially during the holidays!), we can help to promote the importance of education around the globe. Focusing on education is such a key piece to helping children flourish and thrive to build better futures for themselves and to follow their dreams. Last year, the IKEA Foundation raised $13.6 million (10.1 million euro) and over $1 million was raised in the US. Just imagine how much good that money did to help little ones! The donations will go directly to assist UNICEF and Save the Children train teachers to practice child-friendly teaching methods, improve child protection systems, supply educational materials in the schools, help rebuild schools, provide better water and toilet facilities, and increase school attendance rates.
It is a well known fact that the impact of education has far and wide reaching effects. Education transforms lives and is the most impactful way to help children escape poverty and this change to their lives is immense. Because education has a direct impact on well-being, from better health to increased opportunities, it gives children the skills and confidence they need to shape a better future for themselves and their future families. When a child begins and stays in school they can not only changes the course of their own life, but that of future generations.
So, if you have an IKEA near you PLEASE make sure you stop by and help support this amazing promotion for IKEA‘s Soft Toys for Education! This campaign has been helping kids get a better education in Africa, Asia and Europe since 2003 and goes to purchase supplies, train teachers, to improve access to education for minority children and children with disabilities as well as improving school conditions, cleanliness, and safety. We’ve seen first hand how wonderful a good education can be, I couldn’t be more thankful for the caring teachers and teachers assistants that help my kids each and every day. Imagine what the world would be like is EVERY child could have access to such an education? Let’s help bring that dream to life and stop by IKEA and purchase one of their new adorable soft toys and help donate money to help educated children around the world.
I was selected for this opportunity as a member of Clever Girls and the content and opinions expressed here are all my own.
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