Dubai: If you are looking to make a lasting, positive impact with your donations this Ramadan, you can contribute to the One Billions Meals endowment campaign, which was launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, on March 19.
The ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ campaign is a global initiative led by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives to establish a food safety net for underprivileged populations worldwide. The campaign aims to support vulnerable groups, particularly those affected by natural disasters and conflicts, while also reinforcing the UAE's commitment to eradicating hunger. This goal is aligned with the United Nations' Sustainable Development Goals for 2030, which include eradicating poverty and achieving food security.
The campaign allows people to make a one-time contribution or subscribe to a monthly donation.
Here are five ways in which you can contribute:
1. Online, via the campaign’s website – 1billionmeals.ae
One of the ways in which you can contribute to the campaign is by visiting the website – www.1billionmeals.ae
On the home page, you will have the option to select any one of the following amounts:
- Dh10
- Dh100
- Dh500
- Dh1,000
- Other Amount
Make your selection. Then enter your email address and phone number and click on the option ‘Donate by debit/credit card’.
You will be directed to the payment portal where you would need to enter your card details. Once you have made the payment, you will receive a confirmation via email and SMS.
Donate monthly - You can also choose to make a regular contribution to the campaign, by subscribing to a monthly donation amount. To make the selection, click on ‘Donate monthly’ tab, and then select the amount of money you wish to contribute every month. The options available are:
Dh30
Dh50
Dh100
Dh500
Click on ‘subscribe’. You will be directed to the payment portal where you would need to enter your card details. Once you have made the payment, you will receive a confirmation via email and SMS.
2. Via SMS
You can also donate via SMS. The donation amount will be deducted from your credit card balance, in case you have a prepaid number, or added to your monthly bill, if you have a post-paid line.
To donate once, send the word ‘Meal’ to the number:
1034, if you wish to donate Dh10
1035, if you wish to donate Dh50
1036, if you wish to donate Dh100
1038, if you wish to donate Dh500
These numbers will be the same, whether you have an etisalat or du line.
Monthly contribution
If you wish to make a monthly contribution of Dh30 a month, you can send an SMS with the word ‘Meal’ to
the number 1110, if you are an etisalat user
the number 1020, if you are a du user
If you wish to select a different amount for your monthly contribution, you can use the first option of donative through the website.
3. Via a bank transfer
If you wish to make a bank transfer, these are the account details you will need for the One billion meals campaign:
Beneficiary: MOHAMMED BIN RASHID AL MAKTOUM GLOBAL INITIATIVES Account no. 2
Beneficiary Bank: Emirates NBD
Beneficiary Bank Address: Emirates Towers, Dubai, UAE
Swift Code: EBILAEAD
Account #: 1015333439802
IBAN #: AE300260001015333439802
Currency: AED
4. By calling the campaign’s call centre
According to the website, people can also contact the campaign’s team for big monetary donations and related inquiries. The number to call is: 800 9999.
5. Via the DubaiNow app
To donate via the DubaiNow app, follow these steps:
Download the ‘DubaiNow’ app, which is available for Apple and Android devices.
You will be able to see the banner for donating to the One Billion Meals Endowment campaign on the top of the screen. You can also find the option to donate to the campaign under the ‘donations’ option, within service categories.
Select the amount you wish to donate. The app will give you the chance to choose from the following amounts – Dh10, Dh50, Dh100, Dh300 and Dh500. You can also enter a specific amount by choosing the last option ‘other’.
Tap on ‘pay’ at the bottom of your screen. If you have a credit card already set up on the app, the payment will be processed through it. This is done via an SMS that will be sent from your phone. In less than a minute, you should receive a confirmation from the campaign, informing you that the payment was successful.
