The IKEA Foundation Pledges More Than €11 Million in Emergency Humanitarian Aid for Sudan
The IKEA Foundation has donated €5 million to Médecins Sans Frontières - Doctors Without Borders (MSF) to provide urgent medical care and supplies to people affected by the recent fighting in Sudan. It has also donated €6.7 million to Better Shelter to deploy 3,000 units to meet the immediate shelter needs of people displaced by the deadly conflict.
This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230608005375/en/
Illustration of fighting in Khartoum, Sudan Copyright: MSF/Atsuhiko Ochiai Countries: Sudan Date taken / Date Recorded: 04 May, 2023 Caption / Description: Aerial view captures the fighting and violence that erupted in Khartoum, Sudan. (Photo: Business Wire)
Intense fighting broke out in Khartoum, Sudan on 15 April and has since spread to other parts of the country. Local hospitals have been overwhelmed as people arrive with serious injuries caused by gunshots, explosions and airstrikes. The country’s health system, which has been struggling for decades, is facing a huge increase in needs and a shortage of supplies.
Within Sudan, many of those forced to flee are arriving in overcrowded urban areas already hosting internally displaced people. Sudan is also hosting more than one million refugees who have fled violence in neighbouring countries. This is placing immense strain on overstretched resources and exposing vulnerable people to risks such as evictions, family separation and gender-based violence.
Per Heggenes, CEO of the IKEA Foundation, said: “The violence in Sudan is a devastating human tragedy. It is our responsibility to alleviate the suffering of those caught in the crossfire. We strongly urge other funders to join us in delivering life-saving humanitarian assistance to Sudan. Let’s come together and make a tangible difference in the lives of those devastated by the conflict”
Urgent life-saving care by MSF
The IKEA Foundation’s donation will help MSF provide life-saving care both through medical interventions and by distributing supplies. It will also contribute to supporting MSF's activities across 10 states in Sudan. MSF teams have been treating war wounded, providing healthcare services and supplies, and water and sanitation.
Stephen Cornish – Director General – Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) – Geneva Operational Centre said: “As the conflict in Sudan spirals into its second month and humanitarian needs outstrip response capacity, IKEA Foundation’s backing of our medical work across the country marks a collective resolution to take all possible measures to support those caught in the violence.
“The contribution is a testament to the determination and professionalism of our teams on the ground, who despite the many challenges and obstacles remain committed to extending life-saving healthcare. We are deeply thankful for the steadfast support of the IKEA Foundation. Today’s donation of €5 million will go a long way in helping us to provide humanitarian and medical aid to those most affected by the ongoing crisis.”
Immediate shelter needs by Better Shelter
An estimated 1.4 million Sudanese people have been displaced by this conflict already. This includes people fleeing internally and those crossing borders into neighbouring countries, including Chad and Ethiopia. Food, shelter, and protection services are among people’s urgent needs. To meet the immediate need for shelter as expressed by UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, Better Shelter will deploy 3,000 units immediately to neighbouring countries.
Johan Mast, Acting Manager Director, Better Shelter, said: “The current situation in Sudan is alarming. Millions of people are experiencing insecurity, food and water scarcity, and various challenges that require urgent attention. We are very grateful for the IKEA Foundation stepping in to assist and pleased to offer shelter to 15,000 individuals affected by the crisis. Shelter is a fundamental human need that provides physical protection and helps with emotional healing and recovery from the traumatic experiences they have endured.”
About the IKEA Foundation
The IKEA Foundation is a strategic philanthropy that focuses its grant making efforts on tackling the two biggest threats to children’s futures: poverty and climate change. It currently grants more than €200 million per year to help improve family incomes and quality of life while protecting the planet from climate change. Since 2009, the IKEA Foundation has granted more than €1.8 billion to create a better future for children and their families.
In 2021 the Board of the IKEA Foundation decided to make an additional €1 billion available over the next five years to accelerate the reduction of Greenhouse Gas emissions.
When an emergency strikes, time is of the essence. To provide the most efficient response, the IKEA Foundation provides extraordinary emergency funding to a select few partner organisations, who work mainly in Africa, Asia and the Middle East. In 2023 we have provided more than €31 Million in emergency funding.
About Médecins Sans Frontières
Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) translates to Doctors without Borders, is a non-profit, self-governed, member-based organisation. MSF provides medical assistance to people affected by conflict, epidemics, disasters, or exclusion from healthcare. MSF teams are made up of tens of thousands of health professionals, logistic and administrative staff. Their actions are guided by medical ethics and the principles of impartiality, independence and neutrality.
Since 1978, as a first-hand witness and responder to the dire needs of the Sudanese people, MSF has mobilised teams across 12 states, implemented around 20 projects from primary and secondary healthcare, mobile clinics, nutrition, reproductive and mental healthcare to vaccination, health promotion, and water and sanitation.
About Better Shelter
Better Shelter is a humanitarian non-profit organisation based in Sweden. It started developing temporary shelters more than ten years ago, with a big mission dedicated to sheltering displaced persons with safety, dignity and hope on their path towards a more stable life in a permanent home of their own. While its work has grown in scale, the small team continues to support partners and deliver shelters internationally from warehouses in Poland, Türkiye, and Panama.
Since 2015, Better Shelter has delivered more than 85,000 shelters to emergency, crisis, and development programs in over 80 countries. Better Shelter has impacted the lives of hundreds of thousands of displaced persons through collaborations with humanitarian NGOs and INGOs, UN bodies, philanthropic foundations, and academic institutions, including the UN Refugee Agency, UNHCR, the IKEA Foundation and the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat. www.bettershelter.org
To view this piece of content from cts.businesswire.com, please give your consent at the top of this page.
View source version on businesswire.com: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20230608005375/en/
Contact information
Lotika Mehta, lotika.mehta@ikeafoundation.org
About Business Wire
Subscribe to releases from Business Wire
Subscribe to all the latest releases from Business Wire by registering your e-mail address below. You can unsubscribe at any time.
Latest releases from Business Wire
Suzano Starts Up New Production Line, Boosting Its Fluff Pulp Capacity by 400%17.12.2025 21:50:00 CET | Press Release
Suzano, the world’s largest pulp producer, has commenced operations this week at its new fluff pulp production line located in its Limeira unit in Brazil’s São Paulo state. This R$490 million investment increases Suzano’s total fluff pulp production capacity by more than 400%, from 100,000 to 440,000 tonnes per year. The project involved converting the existing pulp line at the Limeira unit into a flexible machine, capable of producing both Eucafluff® and market pulp. Eucafluff® is used in the production of absorbent and personal hygiene products, such as baby and adult diapers, sanitary pads and pet pads. Then market pulp is supplied for making products including toilet paper, printing and writing papers, and paper packaging. Launched in 2015, Eucafluff® is the world’s first fluff pulp made from eucalyptus, delivering unique advantages like enhanced softness and flexibility, which translate into thinner, more discreet and comfortable products. Its high compression capability enables s
SES Acknowledges Moody’s Rating Action and Reiterates Deleveraging Commitments17.12.2025 21:36:00 CET | Press Release
SES S.A. (“SES” or the “Company”), a leading space solutions company, acknowledges the credit rating action announced by Moody’s Investor Service today, which follows the release of SES’ Q3 2025 results and Intelsat integration update. SES management reiterates that the Company continues to execute on its strategy with a clear plan to strengthen its key credit metrics over time. Consistent with this plan, it remains management’s intention to de-lever and return to credit metrics that are commensurate with investment grade, with a policy objective of reducing adjusted net leverage1 to at least 3.0x or below. Today’s rating action does not change the Company’s ability to operate its business, serve customers, or execute its strategic plan. SES maintains a balanced weighted average debt maturity profile of approximately five years, and the rating action from Moody’s is not expected to have a material impact on the interest payable under the Company’s existing debt facilities. SES also ben
Picsart and Zazzle Power the Creator-to-Commerce Evolution with Print-On-Demand Integration17.12.2025 20:47:00 CET | Press Release
Picsart, the world’s leading digital creation platform with over two billion downloads and more than 100 million monthly active users, is partnering with Zazzle, the global leader in customized products and designs, to deliver an end-to-end printing solution for Picsart users. The new “vibe-design-to-print” integration works seamlessly with Picsart’s recently expanded suite of AI products, including AI Assistant and Flows, enabling creators to ideate, iterate, design, and bring their work to life as physical art and products. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251217882832/en/ Picsart and Zazzle Power the Creator-to-Commerce Evolution with Print-On-Demand Integration “At Picsart, our mission has always been to give creators the tools they need to bring their ideas to life,” said Hovhannes Avoyan, Founder and CEO of Picsart. “As we enter what we believe will be the year of the creative entrepreneur, creators are i
Inspiring Leadership Recognised: Anna Byrne Named Finalist at CIPD 2026 HR Awards17.12.2025 19:58:00 CET | Press Release
ProAmpac, a global leader in flexible packaging and material science, is proud to announce that Anna Byrne has been selected as a finalist in the “Most Inspirational and Impactful Leader” category at the CIPD 2026 HR Awards in Ireland. This recognition highlights Anna’s exceptional leadership, her unwavering commitment to people-first practices, and her meaningful influence across the organisation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251217690526/en/ The CIPD HR Awards in Ireland The CIPD HR Awards highlight the people profession’s crucial role in driving strategy, leading transformation, and enabling organisations to thrive. Overseen by CIPD Ireland and supported by independent academic expertise, the awards celebrate innovation, integrity, and impact within modern HR practice. This year, the awards introduce four new categories, including the “Most Inspirational and Impactful Leader” award, reflecting the evolvi
GeologicAI Announces Acquisition of Lumo Analytics to Complete Its Integrated Sensor Suite Across Critical Minerals and Rare Earth Elements17.12.2025 17:53:00 CET | Press Release
GeologicAI, the global leader in High-Resolution Decision Engineering for the critical minerals sector, today announced its acquisition of Lumo Analytics, a provider of the most compact and efficient Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) scanner in the market. LIBS is a rapid, non-destructive technique that uses a high-energy laser pulse to vaporize a tiny spot on a rock, creating a short-lived plasma which emits light unique to the elements present when it cools. This spectral “fingerprint” provides immediate chemical information about the material. For the mining sector, this means faster geochemical insights directly at the source, enabling more efficient exploration and resource evaluation. This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20251217715846/en/ The transaction firmly cements GeologicAI’s position as the only truly comprehensive and integrated source of sensor data for the critical minerals industry. Buildi
In our pressroom you can read all our latest releases, find our press contacts, images, documents and other relevant information about us.
Visit our pressroom