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UAE: Sheikh Mohammed announces the launch of 'One Billion Meals'

This initiative is launched every year to secure food aid for vulnerable communities in 50 countries

Published: Sun 19 Mar 2023, 4:07 PM

Updated: Sun 19 Mar 2023, 9:08 PM

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

This initiative is launched every year to secure food aid for vulnerable communities in 50 countries.

Sheikh Mohammed said in a tweet earlier today saying that "one out of every ten people in the world suffers from hunger" and that the goal of the initiative is to provide "hundreds of millions of meals in a sustainable manner for decades to come".

Speaking in the video he tweeted in Arabic, Sheikh Mohammed said: “Brothers and sisters, as per our annual tradition at the start of the holy month, we are pleased to announce the launch of the ‘One Billion Meals’ endowment project in Ramadan.”

He added: “Our goal is to provide hundreds of millions of meals in a sustainable way for decades to come through this endowment project, ensuring ongoing charity for the people of the UAE and uninterrupted goodness, God willing.”

Last year, the campaign provided much needed aid to displaced individuals and families, and crisis-stricken communities in 13 countries, including Jordan, India, Pakistan, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, Angola and Uganda.

Through an integrated food supply ecosystem, the One Billion Meals campaign aims to provide sustainable food aid to underserved populations, as part of the UAE’s contributions to global efforts.

The One Billion Meals campaign responds to the global need of providing consistent 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.

Here is the initiative in a nutshell:

  • 10 Million Meals in 2020 – secured 15.3 million meals; donations came from over 115 nationalities; 1,000 volunteers from the UAE participated
  • 100 Million Meals in 2021 – produced around 220 million meals; donations came from 385,000 individuals, companies, businessmen and philanthropists from 51 nationalities
  • 1 Billion Meals in 2022 - Target achieved in less than one month after launch, securing meals to those in need across 50 countries, including Nigeria, Sudan, Albania, Jordan, Egypt, Kyrgyzstan, Lebanon, India, Pakistan, Lebanon, Kyrgyzstan, Angola, Uganda, Kosovo, Tajikistan, and more
  • 828 million people were affected by hunger in 2021, equivalent to 9.8 percent of the world population. This means, one in 10 people does not have enough food to eat
  • 45 million children under the age of five suffer from wasting (severe weight loss) – the most fatal kind of malnutrition which increases the risk of child death twelve-fold
  • 149 million children under the age of five suffer from stunted growth and development due to chronic lack of essential nutrients

(With inputs from Angel Tesorero)

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