5500 Kilos Of Dates Donated As Part Of “10 Million Meals” Campaign

Human societies depend heavily on staple foods that are abundant and rich in nutrients. Those vary from one geography to another and while some societies depend on wheat or corn as staple foods, others consume rice, oats, or barley.

In many Arab countries, staple food has long been dates, which provide vitamins, carbohydrates, fibers and proteins that give energy and most of the basic nutrients that the body needs.

Contributions

That’s why many decided to donate dates to the ’10 Million Meals’ campaign launched, under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice-President, Prime Minister of UAE and Ruler of Dubai, by his wife Her Highness Sheikha Hind bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairperson of the Board of Trustees of UAE Food Bank, to provide meals or food parcels to support people and families in need across the country.

Responsible for coordinating the receipt of in-kind donations, the call centre of the ‘10 million meals’ campaign has received calls regarding contributions of hundreds of date boxes.

Majid Bin Ghalita from Dubai offered 90 boxes for the campaign through the call center, while Ms. Shamsa Abdul Mannan from Al Ain, provided 195 boxes, 8 kg per box with a total weight of 1560 km, and caller Ali Mohammed Hussein Al Hashemi from Dubai pledged to provide 400 boxes for the campaign, as well as many others who communicate with the center to spare this authentic fruit to beneficiaries.

Dates & water

In parallel, UAE Water Aid Foundation donated 10 million bottles of water to ’10 Million Meals’. Accordingly, both water and dates which have been part of Ramadan meals for hundreds of years are served to the beneficiaries of the campaign. Today they are two basic elements of meals and food parcels provided by the largest community-based national campaign.

The spirit of Ramadan

The campaign, organised by the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, in collaboration with the Social Solidarity Fund Against COVID-19, coincides with the holy month of Ramadan, the month ​​of solidarity, compassion, giving and benevolence. The holy month is an occasion where the whole community gathers to help those in need, reflecting the culture of giving, volunteering and support, which is an integral part of the country’s values ​​and its leadership directives.

Eliminating hunger

Meals and food parcels are delivered to individuals and families from the low-income groups affected by the exceptional impacts of the novel coronavirus, using data provided by the various institutions and stakeholders within the UAE, after prioritising beneficiaries, and setting a comprehensive, efficient distribution plan with an effective coordination and logistical framework that achieves the goals and delivers contributions to those who deserve it in order to eliminate hunger in the giving land of UAE.