DUBAI, 3rd April, 2023 (WAM) — “1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign, launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, to coincide with the holy month of Ramadan and establish the largest Ramadan sustainable food aid endowment fund, has raised AED404 million in donations in the first 10 days of its launch, further highlighting the UAE community’s deeply-rooted culture of giving and generosity.
The campaign received contributions from over 70,000 donators, including individuals, institutions and businesses from both the public and private sectors, further testifying to the growing momentum of the campaign.
Mohammad bin Abdullah Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, said, “The remarkable response to ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ campaign is a true reflection of the generous and helping UAE community. The campaign has raised AED 404 million in only 10 days, contributed by more than 700,000 donators, which supports the objectives of the food aid endowment fund.
"Every year, the UAE showcases its commitment to its humanitarian role, to supporting underprivileged populations around the world, and to the global effort to fight and eradicate hunger. To this end, the ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ campaign is an extension of the success UAE charity efforts achieved over the past years,” he added.
The community-wide response to the “1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign reflects the UAE’s established role on the sustainable humanitarian and charity work scene, as the campaign builds on the achievements of previous food aid drives launched under directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum over the past 3 years. “10 Million Meals” in Ramadan 2020, was the first and largest show of solidarity of its kind, supporting victims of the COVID-19 pandemic within the UAE. This was followed in Ramadan 2021 by “100 Million Meals” campaign which was the largest regional food support campaign spanning 20 countries in the Arab region, Africa and Asia. Last year’s “One Billion Meals” was the largest on its kind regionally, providing 1 billion meals in 50 countries and furthering the UAE’s contribution to the global effort to eradicate hunger.
Amidst this growing response, the “1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign continues to welcome donations and contributions to the endowment fund from institutions and individuals across five main channels including the campaign’s website (www.1billionmeals.ae), as well as a dedicated call centre via the toll free number (800 9999). Donations are also possible via bank transfers in the UAE dirham to the campaign bank account number with Emirates NBD (AE30 0260 0010 1533 3439 802). Donations via SMS give contributors the option to donate AED 1 daily through a monthly subscription, by sending the word “Meal” to 1020 for du users, or to 1110 for Etisalat by e& users. Those who wish to donate to the campaign through the DubaiNow app can do so by clicking on the “Donations” tab.
The “1 Billion Meals Endowment” campaign aims to revive the culture of endowment as a tool for community development, as it expands the scope of charity and humanitarian efforts and extends its reach to more underprivileged groups, based on a sustainable framework. It strengthens the value of solidarity in broader sense, allowing all members of the community to be part of endowment charity efforts, thus providing a sustainable model of giving and a practical example of social solidarity.
Organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, the campaign represents a major shift in humanitarian work by adopting a model based on group contributions and long-term planning. It aims to create sustainable solutions to fight hunger, eradicate its causes and limit its repercussions through clear programs and targeted processes to effectively support vulnerable groups.
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives implements dozens of humanitarian projects and initiatives around the world within five main pillars: Humanitarian Aid and Relief, Healthcare and Disease Control, Spreading Education and Knowledge, Innovation and Entrepreneurship, and Empowering Communities.