Solstickan is a Swedish

Sweden

Sweden , officially the Kingdom of Sweden , is a Nordic country on the Scandinavian Peninsula in Northern Europe. Sweden borders with Norway and Finland and is connected to Denmark by a bridge-tunnel across the Öresund....

 charity

Charitable organization

A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization . It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A charitable organization is a type of non-profit organization (NPO). It differs from other types of NPOs in that it centers on philanthropic goals A...

 foundation founded in 1936 for aiding children in need. Its ruling board is appointed by the Swedish government. The money for the foundation is gathered through the sales of the Solstickan matchbox

Matchbox

A matchbox is a box made of cardboard or thin wood designed to hold matches. It usually has a coarse striking surface on one edge for lighting the matches contained inside....

, which over the years have become the most well known and purchased matchbox in Sweden. The art work of the matchbox was made in 1936 by the artist Einar Nerman

Einar Nerman

Einar Nerman was a Swedish artist. He was born and grew up in middle class family in the working-class city of Norrköping and was the younger brother of the Swedish Communist leader Ture Nerman...

and is a painting of his own son.

Today, the money from the Solstickan foundation goes mostly to science and research in child diseases.