UAE’s food campaign gets massive response
‘100m meals’ nears 50% of its targeted Dh100m less than five days after launch
The UAE’s ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, which aims to provide basic food items to prepare up to 100 million meals in 20 countries, has achieved nearly half its target in less than five days of its launch on April 11.
Every Dh1 donated to the campaign equals one meal.
The campaign has received over Dh43 million in donations so far, Sara Al Nuaimi, director of the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), told Gulf News in an exclusive interview yesterday.
Al Nuaimi noted the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign is an expansion of the ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign launched during Ramadan last year.
The MBRGI is teaming up with the World Food Programme, the Food Banking Regional Network and charity organisations in beneficiary countries to ensure food is delivered to the doorsteps of impoverished families.
Al Nuaimi said that 77 food banks around the world have been tapped for the campaign. Food will be sourced locally.
Top donors
The Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment donated Dh20 million to the campaign while Dewa donated Dh10 million. The RTA and Emirates Islamic Bank each donated Dh5 million.
Donations, contributions and pledges of support are pouring in for the UAE’s ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign aimed at providing food support to disadvantaged individuals and families across 20 countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa this Ramadan.
Close to 50 per cent or Dh43 million of the target Dh100 million have been raised in just less than five days after the campaign was launched on April 11, Sara Al Nuaimi, director of Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), told Gulf News in an exclusive interview on Thursday.
Al Nuaimi noted the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign is an expansion of ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign in the UAE during Ramadan last year. “This year, we have multiplied the campaign ten times than in 2020, when the campaign was focused inside the UAE,” she told Gulf News, adding that the campaign has been made global “to help other countries suffering from
I highly urge everyone to take part in the initiative whether they are in the private or public sector; corporate or individuals.” Sara Al Nuaimi | Director, Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI)
poverty and hunger, made worse by the Covid-19 pandemic.”
Sustainable drive
As the campaign tackles the pervading issue of hunger and malnutrition in developing countries, the UAE is also finding ways how to make the food campaign more sustainable.
Al Nuaimi said there is no announcement yet if the campaign will become an annual but the UAE is already “looking at how to extend it (food campaign) beyond Ramadan.”
Al Nuaimi said around 77 food banks around world have been tapped for the campaign. Food are sourced locally, meaning food distributed in Bangladesh, Jordan or Palestine are sourced within the country.
“This will give people the flexibility to prepare their own food and also to ensure that the food will be sufficient for them for a long time. In some areas or countries, health and sanitation kits are also distributed,” Al Nuaimi explained.
Anyone can donate
Al Nuaimi said anyone in the UAE can donate the cost of basic food starting from Dh1. She added: “I highly urge everyone to take part in the initiative whether they are in the private or public sector; corporate or individuals. Ramadan is the time of the year that we feel the suffering of other people and help them, even in the smallest amount we can.”
“Within few hours flight from the UAE, there are 52 million people who are hungry. In the world, every 10 seconds, a child dies because of hunger. We, here in the UAE, are blessed and privileged. It’s time to lend a hand to people in need outside the country through this campaign,” she added.