UAE’s Sheikh Mohammed announces one billion meals campaign

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has announced the launch of the ‘One Billion Meals’ campaign.

The campaign aims to secure food aid for vulnerable communities in 50 countries, and is organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).

“The best of all charities is to feed a hungry person and the best of all nations is the one that keeps thinking of others,” said Sheikh Mohammed. “We aim to distribute one billion meals to send one billion messages of humanity to the world. The world is going through challenges in providing food security for everyone. Our mission is to support our brothers in humanity to save them from hunger.”

Today, we announce the One Billion Meals campaign.. It starts at the beginning of the holy month of Ramadan and will continue until the goal is achieved.. 800 million people suffer from hunger around the world..Our humanity and religion encourage us to help others

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) March 10, 2022

The new initiative is an expansion of the UAE’s previous ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign launched last year during the holy month of Ramadan.

Read: Sheikh Mohammed launches initiative to provide 100 million meals across 20 countries

هدفنا من الحملة إيصال مليار وجبة .. وايصال مليار رسالة انسانية من دولة الإمارات للعالم .. خير الصدقة إطعام الطعام … وخير الشعوب التي تفكر بغيرها .. وبلادنا محفوظة بالخير الذي نقدمه للمحتاجين .. موعدنا ١ رمضان بإذن الله ونسأل الله أن يتقبل منا ومنكم صالح الأعمال .. pic.twitter.com/nRYbPqWAbg

— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) March 10, 2022

Food parcels are currently being distributed to beneficiaries in collaboration with the UN World Food Programme, the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH) and humanitarian organisations in targeted countries.

Distribution is set to continue throughout this year until all donated meals are delivered to those in need.

The campaign responds to the need of providing humanitarian assistance to underserved communities all over the world, supporting efforts to achieve the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2 that aims to end hunger by 2030.

Hunger claims a child’s life every 10 seconds, while 25,000 people die of hunger daily, of whom 10,000 are children, official news agency WAM reported. Over 800 million people are undernourished globally, 52 million of whom, majority women and children, live in the Middle East and North Africa.

Last year, the UAE’s 100 Million Meals campaign had achieved over double its target.

Read: Sheikh Mohammed’s 100 Million Meals campaign achieves over double its target