Dubai, UAE: Dubai Electricity and Water Authority (DEWA) has announced a donation of AED10 million to contribute to the efforts of the 1 Billion Meals initiative, the largest of its kind in the region, which aims to assist and provide sustainable food support to the underprivileged and most needy groups in 50 countries in the Middle East, North Africa and the world – in particular children, refugees, displaced persons, and victims of disasters and crises.
The Dubai Electricity and Water Authority’s donation joins the contributions of institutions and who have responded to the invitation of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, to provide a food safety net for the underprivileged and the hungry.
His Excellency Saeed Al Tayer’s Statement
His Excellency Saeed Mohammed Al Tayer, Managing Director and CEO of Dubai Electricity and Water Authority, said: “I extend my most sincere congratulations to His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, who launched the 1 Billion Meals initiative. The campaign is organised by MBRGI and is an expansion to the 100 Million Meals campaign, launched by His Highness last year, and reflects the forward-thinking approach of His Highness as an exceptional global leader, with continuous humanitarian giving through social initiatives providing relief to the distressed and disadvantaged around the world. His Highness’ initiatives enhance the position of the UAE in humanitarian assistance by presenting a pioneering model to be followed globally in sustainable development, especially in light of these difficult times that the world is going through as a result of political, health and natural crises.”
He added: “DEWA is honored to be a major supporter of the 1 Billion Meals Initiative, which was launched in conjunction with the Holy Month of Ramadan, and is the biggest humanitarian initiative of its kind in the region and globally. It aims to secure food aid for vulnerable communities in 50 countries around the world regardless of religion, color, race or culture, and will contribute to achieving the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals 2030, including the goal of eliminating hunger in the world.”
Donation Channels
Donors can contribute to the 1 Billion Meals initiative through the following donation channels – the campaign’s official website: www.1billionmeals.ae; bank transfer to the campaign’s account at Emirates NBD, number: AE300260001015333439802. Donors can also opt to donate AED1 a day through a monthly subscription by sending “Meal” or “وجبة” via SMS to 1020 on the du network or 1110 on the Etisalat network. Donations can also be made through campaign’s call center via a toll-free number 8009999.
Continuous Giving
The initiative, organized by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), is a continuation of last year’s 100 Million Meals campaign, which ended up distributing 220 million meals, prompting the new goal of one billion meals.
The initiative, through its network of regional and global partnerships, allows for the provision of a daily meal that eliminates the specter of hunger from the needy. Donations start from just AED1, which is sufficient to provide the basic ingredients for a nutritious meal in the lowest-income communities covered by the initiative.
The 1 Billion Meals initiative provides food support in coordination with the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP), the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian and Charity Establishment (MBRCH), the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), the UAE Food Bank, as well as a number of local charity and humanitarian organizations in beneficiary countries.
