Dubai: The Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN), strategic partner in the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, is delivering food parcels to communities in 13 of the 20 targeted countries in the Middle East, Asia and Africa.
Dubai-based FBRN, a network of food banks in 77 countries, will provide the logistical and transport services required to deliver food parcels to beneficiaries in Egypt, Sudan, Somalia, Angola, Uganda, Ghana, Sierra Leone, Tunisia, Jordan, Mauritania, Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen, in coordination with local food banks.
Dr Moez El Shohdi, Founder and CEO of FBRN, said: “A humanitarian campaign of this scale comes at a critical time to support millions of the vulnerable who are battling hunger and a pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 intensified the suffering in disadvantaged communities. Providing the vulnerable with food support brings them hope and a sense of security throughout the holy month of Ramadan.”
Dr Moez El Shohdi, Founder and CEO of FBRN, said: “A humanitarian campaign of this scale comes at a critical time to support millions of the vulnerable who are battling hunger and a pandemic. The outbreak of COVID-19 intensified the suffering in disadvantaged communities. Providing the vulnerable with food support brings them hope and a sense of security throughout the holy month of Ramadan.”
In an integrated network of distribution, the campaign’s organiser Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) is teaming up with the United Nations World Food Programme, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), the FBRN and humanitarian organisations in beneficiary countries to ensure food parcels are delivered to the doorstep of families in underserved communities.
Unique Food Bank model
The FBRN, which works under the slogan ’together against hunger,’ has a unique model of food banks and operates on regional and international scales. As a non-profit umbrella organisation, it works to unify and coordinate global relief efforts with the aim of achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goal 2 that seek to end hunger around the world by 2030.
FBRN provides financial and logistical support to local food banks across the Middle East, Africa, and South Asia to support the vulnerable, combat hunger, and reduce food waste.
In 2020, it provided food support monthly for about 4.5 million low-income families who lost jobs amid the COVID-19 outbreak, while reintegrating 440,000 family breadwinners through education. It was also able to help 3.2 million families affected by world lockdowns. In combating food waste, the network saved an average of 52.5 million meals a month in 2020. The network also developed 17,600 charitable societies during the same year, in addition to training 780,000 volunteers.
The FBRN was selected among committees developing and discussing the launch of a new law to prevent food waste in several countries.
Anyone can donate
Donations to the 100 Million Meals campaign can be made in four ways. First, on the campaign website www.100millionmeals.ae, second, by contacting the campaign call Centre on the toll-free number 8004999; third, via the designated bank account through Dubai Islamic Bank (AE08 0240 0015 2097 7815 201); and fourth, by sending “Meal” by SMS on UAE specified numbers, listed on the website, for Du or Etisalat networks.
