11-Year-Old Becomes IKEA’s First Designer From Croatia

11-year-old Karla Reljić has just become the first ever designer for global giants IKEA from Croatia…

Reljić’s one-eyed monster she named Pool beat thousands of entrants from all over the world to win IKEA’s Soft Toys for Education drawing competition. The Zagreb school kid will see her design manufactured into a soft toy which will go on sale later this year. 9 other winners will also see their designs made into soft toys which will be sold to raise money.

Karla’s winning design

Soft Toys for Education is a good cause partnership between the IKEA Foundation, UNICEF and Save the Children, first launched twelve years ago. For every Soft Toy or children’s book sold from the IKEA Foundation donates 1 euro to children’s education projects. Last year the campaign raised over 10 million euros, and this far the foundation has helped over 11 million children from 46 different countries.

“I was so excited and I could not believe it. I am happy that I can help out poor kids in this way,” said a delighted Karla.