Dubai: The UAE, through its 100 Million Meals campaign, has distributed more than 106 million meals around the world in the past four months, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) announced here on Tuesday.
The 100 Million Meals campaign, that raised a total of Dh216 million after it was launched during Ramadan this year, still continues to provide food aid to people in need across 30 countries in the Middle East, Africa, Asia, Europe and South America.
The next phase of the campaign, which utilises blockchain technology and big data solutions to reach communities and individuals most in need, will distribute 110 million additional meals, MBRGI noted.
Expanded humanitarian work
Sara Al Nuaimi, director at MBRGI, said: “The partnerships and smart technologies that were utilised throughout all the phases of the 100 Million Meals campaign embody the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai — to help develop innovative humanitarian tools. The campaign was focused on expanding the humanitarian framework to form an integrated and open ecosystem that unites the efforts of different segments of the society to support those in need wherever they are.”
“The 100 Million Meals campaign is an exemplary model of instant response to urgent humanitarian needs of the most vulnerable, reflecting the UAE’s longstanding tradition of humanitarian work. The campaign’s success in distributing the first 100 million meals within just four months highlights the importance of cooperating with regional and international organisations and local charities in beneficiary countries to reach the biggest scope of people,” she added.
Food distribution
Food aid was distributed in the form of food parcels and instant vouchers, which enabled the beneficiaries to purchase what they needed from partner shops and stores. According to MBRGI, the campaign has delivered three million meals to Lebanon, 3.3 million to Sudan, 6.9 million to Ghana, three million to Uganda, and three million to Angola.
In its next phase, the 100 Million Meals campaign will continue to distribute food aid in several countries, with Lebanon set to receive 19.5 million additional meals; Sudan to receive 5.7 million extra meals; Ghana, 2.1 million meals; while Uganda and Angola will each receive 1.5 million additional meals.
International cooperation
MBRGI worked alongside the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), and the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN) to carry out the campaign swiftly and thoroughly. The organisations involved in the campaign cooperated with local humanitarian and charity organisations on logistical and food parcels delivery operations.
Ibrahim Mohammed Bu Melha, Adviser to the Ruler of Dubai for Cultural and Humanitarian Affairs and Deputy Chairman of MBRCH, noted: “The contributions received in support of the campaign — from individuals to institutions — embody the instilled culture of love for humanitarian, charitable work and giving.
Said Moez El Shohdi, co-founder of FBRN, added: “The unique campaign helped alleviate hunger and boost people’s social welfare and the economic performance of local markets and suppliers in the areas served during the pandemic.”
Timely contribution
Mageed Yahia, WFP Director in the UAE and Representative to the GCC, said: “COVID-19 has crippled the world economy on many fronts and placed particularly vulnerable populations in severe food insecurity and whole communities on the brink of starvation. The timely contribution from MBRGI during these challenging times helped the WFP to continue supporting around 399,000 refugees and beneficiaries in Bangladesh, Jordan and Palestine by securing more than 39 million nutritious meals.”
At a glance:
> The campaign has so far provided 2.8 million meals to more than 67,000 beneficiaries in India, Pakistan, Kenya, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Tanzania, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Brazil, Burundi, Senegal, Kosovo, Nepal, Benin and Uzbekistan.
> The campaign’s cooperation with FBRN has reached more than 806,000 beneficiaries in Lebanon, Egypt, Yemen, Sudan, Somalia, Jordan, Ghana, Uganda, Angola, Mauritania and Iraq with more than 61 million meals.
> More than 30 million meals were distributed in Egypt, with food parcels containing basic food items such as flour, rice, sugar, oil.
> In Palestine, the campaign distributed 28 million meals in instant vouchers throughout the Gaza Strip and various regions, cities and villages on the West Bank.
> In cooperation with WFP and in coordination with local authorities, more than 4.7 million meals were provide to refugee camps in Jordan.
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> More than 755,000 meals were distributed in Tanzania, Kenya and Senegal.
> In Central Asia, the 100 Million Meals campaign distributed 600,000 meals in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan.
> The campaign has distributed 6.5 million meals to refugees in Bangladesh, 4.5 million meals in Mauritania, 145,000 meals in Kosovo, 604,000 meals in Ethiopia, 600,000 meals in Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan, and 442,000 meals in Brazil.
