At a glance: Liberia

IKEA donates 9,000 tables for Liberia’s schools and health centres

© UNICEF Video

Children play chess and other games on a table donated by IKEA.

By Samuel W. Johnson

MONROVIA, Liberia, 24 May 2005 – IKEA, the Swedish furniture manufacturer and a UNICEF corporate partner, has donated 9,000 tables to support UNICEF’s work in Liberia. The tables are worth over $765,000.

“All the excitement around this donation may look trivial to one living in comfort. However, in this country, where infrastructures that offer basic social services to children and their families have been severely affected by the war, these tables will make a real difference to those who will benefit from them,” said UNICEF Representative in Liberia Angela Kearney.

The IKEA Furniture Company was founded by Swedish entrepreneur Ingvar Kamprad. Today IKEA’s trademark home furnishing brand can be found in 44 countries.

“IKEA is one of UNICEF’s longest standing corporate partners,” said UNICEF International and Corporate Alliances Officer Hiba Frankoul. “It has supported UNICEF’s activities worldwide since 1988 in the areas of education, child labour elimination, immunization, children’s rights to play and sales of UNICEF greetings cards.”

© UNICEF Video

Many of the tables are used for computer and typing classes.

Some of the tables will be used in Liberian schools for computer and typing classes, and also for recreation – they are large enough for table tennis. Other tables will go to health centres and government agencies.

“We know that UNICEF and its partners are working very hard to make Liberia a better place for children and their families. That is why we feel particularly happy to be able to contribute to those efforts,” said IKEA’s Communication Manager Marianne Barner. ”We only wish we could do more!”