![]() "By far, most of the refugees who have fled unimaginable loss and devastation in Ukraine are women, children and older people or people with disabilities, in need of dedicated support," said Marin Din Kajdomcaj, Poland's representative at the UN Refugee Agency. Since the war started in February, more than 6.9 million people have fled Ukraine – 90 per cent of which are women and children, who UNICEF says are especially at risk of abuse, exploitation and trafficking.īlue Dot centres, which were first established in 2016, are designed to provide "safe spaces" for these vulnerable groups, containing playrooms for children, private areas for mental health counselling and safe places to sleep. The shelters are run by UN agencies UNICEF and UNHCR The furniture company previously joined a number of brands and studios in pausing its operations in Russia, closing its stores and halting imports and exports from the country. The initiative forms part of a wider €1 million donation that IKEA has pledged to UNICEF and UNHCR's emergency relief efforts for the Ukraine war, with an additional €30 million going to other selected organisations. Three more are currently in development and plans are in the making for IKEA to help set up of additional outposts in Hungary and Slovakia. Out of the 36 Blue Dot centres that UNICEF and UNHCR have established across seven European countries since the start of the Ukraine war, IKEA has helped to design 10 in Romania and five in Poland. "We're using walls made of Kallax shelving units and thick curtains to create a quieter and more comfortable environment, to make it feel more like a home, and we've also used decorations and picture frames, to make the space feel as cosy and calm as possible." "The work calls for a whole new set of skills because we're designing spaces that can support people who are experiencing trauma," said Martyna Pater, who is an interior design specialist for IKEA in Kraków, Poland. Set alongside major border crossings and transit routes, the centres supply legal aid, mental health support and family reunification services, as well as food and temporary shelter. ![]() Top: IKEA designed the interiors for the centres Above: numerous Blue Dot centres have been established in Eastern Europe since Russia's invasion of Ukraine began. The Swedish furniture brand created interiors with a homely, comforting atmosphere inside several recently established Blue Dot centres, which are run by the United Nations Children's Fund ( UNICEF) and the UN Refugee Agency UNHCR to offer specialist support to children, families and other at-risk refugees.
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