UNICEF Sweden’s partner Akelius Foundation donates 800 million kronor to efforts for children’s education in Gaza – the largest single donation to UNICEF Sweden ever. The donation is inspired by the government’s rallying cry for the children in Gaza and a contribution of 400 million kronor to UNICEF, which was announced on March 20.
In addition, 20 million kronor of this year’s support from the Swedish Postcode Lottery will go to Gaza. In total, Sweden contributes 1,220 million kronor to UNICEF’s work for the children in Gaza, which is made possible through a close and strategic partnership between the Swedish government and UNICEF.
UNICEF has been present in Gaza for decades and in recent years has helped hundreds of thousands of children with clean water, treatment for malnutrition, education, psychosocial support, healthcare and vaccinations. But the needs are enormous. All children in Gaza, over one million, are in need of humanitarian assistance. UNICEF needs over SEK 6.5 billion for its humanitarian work in Palestine in 2026. Today, 77 percent of that funding is missing.
An extremely important support from the government that is already making a difference. To save lives and build a future for children in Gaza and other war zones, we must join forces; the UN, governments, business, foundations, civil society and private individuals. The support to Gaza from the government, Akelius Foundation and the Swedish Postcode Lottery shows how we can and must mobilize together to meet the challenges children face. I hope that this initiative will encourage more people – both governments and private actors – to invest in all children’s right to life and development, says Pernilla Baralt, UNICEF Sweden’s Secretary General.
The Akelius Foundation is a long-term partner of UNICEF Sweden. Together, they run digital language schools for refugee children and the foundation has also donated large amounts to the work in Ukraine and Sudan. Last year, the Akelius Foundation donated almost 150 million kronor to UNICEF Sweden, most of which went to educational efforts in Gaza and the West Bank. As a result, several temporary learning centers have been opened in Gaza and the West Bank, and tens of thousands of children have received education, recreational activities, and psychosocial support.
“An extraordinary investment”
Gaza has been described as hell on earth and large parts of the area lie in ruins. More than 20,000 children have been killed. Almost a million children have been forced to flee, most of them multiple times. Hundreds of thousands of people live in tent camps without shelter from rain or wind. 97 percent of schools have been damaged or destroyed and the 700,000 school-age children have not been to school for two and a half years.
– UNICEF welcomes this extraordinary investment from the Government of Sweden and the Akelius Foundation through UNICEF Sweden. It is an important step towards resuming education in Gaza and giving children their childhood and hope for the future back, says Jonathan Veitch, UNICEF Country Director in Palestine.
– This powerful support from the Government of Sweden and the Akelius Foundation, through UNICEF Sweden, shows how public and private initiatives together can change children’s lives. When the public and private sectors reinforce each other, the playing field changes. This support will enable UNICEF to scale up its work to rebuild learning centers and schools for Gaza’s children. Schools are much more than places for learning: they are safe spaces for recovery and healing for an entire generation of children, says Kitty van der Heijden, UNICEF Deputy Executive Director.