UAE’s ‘100 Million Meals’ achieves 78% of target soon after launch

Dubai: UAE’s ‘100 Million Meals’ Ramadan marketing campaign, which goals to supply meals parcels to deprived communities throughout 20 nations within the Center East, Asia, and Africa, has achieved 78 per cent of its goal throughout the first week of its launch.

The marketing campaign raised over Dh78 million, equal to offering greater than 78 million meals, as large donations proceed to pour in from people, firms and entities inside and out of doors the UAE.

Meals distribution has already begun in a number of nations together with Jordan, Egypt and Pakistan. Organised by the Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum International Initiatives (MBRGI), the marketing campaign goals to safe meals parcels that allow deprived households and people to organize their very own meals throughout Ramadan.

Each Dh1 donated helps present one meal for beneficiaries in focused nations together with Sudan, Lebanon, Jordan, Syria, Sierra Leone, Ghana, Pakistan, Egypt, Palestine, Bangladesh, Tanzania and Angola.

He added: “As part of our role at MBRGI, we responded to the overwhelming donations by immediately starting the food distribution process in several countries, in collaboration with the United Nations World Food Programme and the Food Banking Regional Network.”

The World Meals Programme will assist present 20 per cent of the marketing campaign’s meals parcels to refugee camps in Palestine, Jordan, and Bangladesh, whereas the Meals Banking Regional Community is securing meals parcels to focus on teams in 13 of the focused 20 nations.

In collaboration with worldwide and native companions, MBRGI is working to make sure meals parcels attain to the folks most in want of help. Beneficiaries are recognized based mostly on correct, up to date and built-in databases.

Donations started pouring in throughout the first hours of the launch announcement by His Highness Shaikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai. Inside lower than per week from its launch, the marketing campaign has attracted overwhelming response throughout digital platforms, social media, and on the spot messaging functions.

For instance, Dar Al Ber Society, one of many first charities established within the UAE, donated Dh20 million to the ‘100 Million Meals’ marketing campaign, it was introduced on Saturday.

Mohammed Souhil Al Muhairi, Govt Director, Dar Al Ber Society, mentioned: “The 100 Million Meals campaign embodies the UAE’s commitment to its core values of giving, especially during Ramadan, the month of goodness, righteousness, and charity. The UAE plays a significant humanitarian role globally, and the vision and directives of our leadership has paved the way for an effective and sustainable implementation of philanthropy.”

The marketing campaign is a part of UAE’s contribution to world efforts to fight starvation and malnutrition, exacerbated by the outbreak of COVID-19. As we speak, greater than 52 million folks within the MENA area are undernourished, and most of them ladies and kids.

The ‘100 Million Meals’ marketing campaign is an growth of 2020s domestically held ‘10 Million Meals’ marketing campaign that empowered COVID-19-hit communities throughout the UAE. The marketing campaign will present meals help to probably the most weak populations throughout 20 nations within the Center East, Africa and Asia.

Dr Ahmad Bin Abdul Aziz Al Haddad, Grand Mufti and Director of the Ifta Division of the Islamic Affairs and Charitable Actions Division in Dubai (IACAD), issued a fatwa [religious ruling] allowing the fee of money types of zakat to buy meals parcels for the ‘100 Million Meals’ marketing campaign.

Additionally on Saturday, it was introduced that the UN World Meals Programme (WFP) will ship vital meals help to beneficiaries in Palestine and in refugee camps in Jordan and Bangladesh, over the subsequent six weeks, as a part of its function within the marketing campaign.

Beneath a strategic partnership with MBRGI, collectively WFP estimates to feed round 200,000 beneficiaries within the three precedence nations of Jordan, Bangladesh and Palestine by means of cash transfers and money vouchers raised from the marketing campaign.

Throughout the present context and challenges confronted, the usage of money and vouchers, geared up with biometric identification, has confirmed to maximise meals safety outcomes among the many goal inhabitants. These channels assist beneficiaries safe entry to a various and nutritious food regimen, affording them the selection to pick out precedence wants, and presenting advantages to each purchaser and vendor by injecting capital into native markets and economies.

Abdel Mageed Yahia, director of WFP workplace within the UAE and consultant to the GCC, mentioned: “This initiative could not come at a more pressing time. Hunger is soaring around the world — driven by conflict, climate shocks and the impact of COVID-19. Today, more than 270 million people face life-threatening levels of hunger. We are watching a catastrophe unfold before our eyes and we must all step up to fight back. Once again, the extraordinary leadership and generosity of [Sheikh Mohammed] is setting an example to the world.”

MBRGI will even coordinate with the Meals Banking Regional Community and native humanitarian organisations in beneficiary nations to ship meals parcels to the doorsteps of weak people and households.