Changing lives through UNICEF partnership
Eka Wahyu Anggraini (left), 17, and her team work on designing a one-meter walking cane with electrical sensors for blind people and the elderly they created through the Digital Innovation Challenge 2022: Generasi Terampil programme during a bootcamp held in Surabaya, East Java, Indonesia. © UNICEF/UN0716503/Ijazah
For over ten years, Umicore has partnered up with UNICEF to create a positive impact for communities in need, to champion children’s rights and to contribute to the wellbeing of children and adolescents over the world. We demonstrate our commitment to social responsibility through substantial support for UNICEF's humanitarian projects. We are proud to share the achievements that UNICEF realized with Umicore's contribution in 2022 and 2023.
Humanitarian relief in Ukraine
In response to the humanitarian crisis in Ukraine, Umicore provided significant support to UNICEF's 'Blue Dots' initiative. Umicore helped establish four Blue Dots centers, offering safe spaces for families across transit routes, in Slovakia. These centers provided crucial support to more than 35,000 displaced individuals, offering them access to essential services such as healthcare, education, and safe water during a time of great need.
On 13 June 2022, children play at a UNICEF-UNHCR Blue Dot Safe Space, Protection and Support Hub in Sofia, Bulgaria. Blue Dots provide support and services to children and their families who have fled the war in Ukraine. © UNICEF/UN0658129/Milkova
STEM education project in Indonesia
Umicore also supported UNICEF’s Girls' STEM education project in Indonesia. Tackling the local challenges of having around 23% of young people not in education, employment or training, and a strong gender imbalance in access to education, the initiative focused on empowering young women through education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM). More concretely, Umicore contributed to the organization of workshops and focus group discussions that helped create a digital curriculum, and teacher training in digital marketing and problem-solving. The program's impact was notable. More than 200 solution ideas were developed, focusing on different topics such as (mental) health, education and climate change and, with the participation number growing from 2,500 girls in its first year to more than 4,500 in the following, the project is fostering a new generation of digitally literate and empowered young women is fostered.
Flora Dita Cahyani, a student in SMP 9 Sorong, West Papua, Indonesia. © UNICEF/UNI306598/Ijazah
UPSHIFT project in India
Furthermore, Umicore's dedication to fostering innovation in education is clear in our support to UNICEF’s UPSHIFT program in India. It enabled the development of the School Innovation Challenge (SIC) platform, introducing an online curriculum and interactive learning platform designed to cultivate innovative thinking among students. The program was a success, with close to 24,000 students completing the curriculum, of which 58% were girls. This indicates a significant stride towards gender equality in education. The School Innovation Challenge was further extended to three more states in India, as well as to Bhutan and The Maldives, operating in six languages and launched in 26.000 schools. Since then, UNICEF undertook a major upgrade of the platform technology, content and learning journey, resulting in the solution being rebranded as Unisolve. This state-of-the-art digital platform has enabled 224.677 students to complete the UPSHIFT learning journey through 6.2 million hours of learning.
ASE members/ UPSHIFTERS of Khotakha Primary School in Wangdue district in western Bhutan at their school’s assembly ground. © UNICEF/UN0748462/Samdrup
Umicore's contributions to support UNICEF show our dedication to children’s rights worldwide. We are committed to making a positive impact and giving back to people and planet, translating into tangible outcomes that have reshaped communities and improved the wellbeing of many individuals.