1 Billion Meals: 76 million collected in less than a week

The One Billion Meals initiative, the largest food donation drive of its kind in the region, has collected 76 million meals in just six days.

Organised by Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the programme provides food support to the underprivileged and the undernourished in 50 countries around the world, especially vulnerable groups of children, refugees, displaced persons and victims of disasters and crises.

Within just 6 days of the initiative, 45,491 donors and 98 organisations have contributed 76 million meals, which, in addition to the 220 million meals collected during the 100 Million Meals campaign, brings the total number of meals collected to 296 million, while distribution has started in 6 countries: India, Lebanon, Jordan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Egypt.

The 1 Billion Meals campaign builds on the success of the 100 Million Meals campaign, which ran during Ramadan last year and exceeded all its targets to collect 220 million meals and distribute them around the world. The target of 1 Billion Meals initiative is to collect an additional 780 million meals and distribute them to 50 countries around the world.

Mohammed Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of MBRGI, said: "The responses we’ve received to the 1 Billion Meals initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and the contributions collected from donors across the UAE, including a wide range of businesses and individuals, are rooted in the people’s ethical responsibility and humanitarian commitment."

The 1 Billion Meals initiative is providing direct access to food supplies to some of the most disadvantaged communities around the world, and is doing so 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.

With God’s blessing, we are launching today the Billion Meals campaign. the largest campaign to feed people and fight hunger in fifty countries around the world. Ramadan is the month of fasting in which we feel the suffering of 800 million people who go to bed hungry every day.. pic.twitter.com/Oi2c52P3Ry

— One Billion Meals (@OneBillionMeals) April 3, 2022