The IKEA Foundation and livelihoods in Dollo Ado: lessons from the cooperatives model
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Key points
Between 2011 and 2018, the IKEA Foundation invested around $100m USD in programmes in the five Dollo Ado camps in Ethiopia. The investment represents the largest ever private sector investment in refugee camps. A major focus of its work was on livelihoods, working to support sustainable income-generating opportunities for refugees and the host community.
One of the most innovative features of the work was on a series of ‘cooperatives’, membership-based incomegenerating groups, typically involving an equal number of refugees and host community members. These cooperatives have been piloted in areas such as agriculture, livestock, energy, and the environment. Importantly, they have been supported with complementary infrastructure, microfinance, and training.