IKEA Foundation Donates $62 Million for Refugee Camp

Posted August 30th, 2011 at 7:25 am (UTC-5)
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The United Nations refugee agency says the IKEA Foundation is donating $62 million to help expand emergency relief at the refugee complex in Dadaab, Kenya.

The U.N. High Commissioner for Refugees said Tuesday in a statement the money is the largest private donation it has ever received, and is expected to help up to 120,000 people.

Dadaab opened in 1990, and currently hosts 440,000 refugees. Conflict and drought in neighboring Somalia have sent a surge of refugees to the camp this year, with 150,000 people arriving in the past few months.

UNHCR chief Antonio Guterres said the donation comes at a “critical time” as the crisis in the Horn of Africa continues to get worse.