Sierra Leone / voluntary repatriation to Liberia / Blama way station / UNHCR / R. Olchi

22 July 2010

Finnish Refugee Council raises funds for UNHCR

The UNHCR regional office in Stockholm has received several donations throughout the years from the Finnish Refugee Council (FRC). Between 2007 and 2009, FRC raised 6454 EUR for UNHCR.

UNHCR is grateful for the contribution and support in a long-lasting partnership. FRC and UNHCR have worked together closely in recent years, and UNHCR Stockholm is looking forward to a continuous successful cooperation.

FRC was founded in 1965 by the socially and politically active Ms. Helvi Sipilä, who had visited refugee camps in the Middle East. Originally started as a small organization, FRC has grown into a strong actor with several employees and cooperative partners around the world. In the 1980’s the Council raised funds for UNHCR and distributed information about the work of the UN. Later in the early 1990’s the Council launched its first project abroad, helping refugees from Mozambique in Malawi. Since those times FRC has spread its activities to other parts in Africa, the Balkans and elsewhere in Europe.

Currently the Finnish Refugee Council works with refugees and returnees in Liberia, Sierra Leone and Uganda, and a new project is under preparation among Burmese refugees in Thailand. Every year on International Women’s Day, FRC grants the Refugee Woman of the Year Award to a remarkable refugee woman in Finland. FRC achieves high media publicity for the refugee cause throughout the year.   

In recent years, FRC and UNHCR have cooperated in several projects. In 2008, both organizations contributed to the World Village Festival (WVF) in Helsinki by setting up a stand with UNHCR and FRC material, and a “container” with computers to allow visitors to play the web-based game Kovat Kertoimet – Against All Odds (AAO). During the festival, FRC organized a press conference with UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador Barbara Hendricks, together with KEPA, the Service Centre for Development Cooperation.

FRC raised about 40,000 SEK with the Ministry of Education in Finland, to cover the development of a quiz integrated into the AAO in 2007.

In 2009, FRC and UNHCR jointly arranged a photo exhibition together with the Finnish daily newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet at the WVF held in Helsinki.

In connection with World Refugee Day on 20 June in 2009 and 2010, UNHCR presented its annual global statistics report in Helsinki, at a joint event with FRC.

More information in English on the Finnish Refugee Council:
www.pakolaisapu.fi