Entities dedicated to Humanitarian Aid and Relief
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Establishment
Since its inception in 1997, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Humanitarian & Charity Establishment has worked to improve the quality of life in the UAE and around the world. It implements sustainable development and relief projects, with a special focus on initiatives that promote health, education and family empowerment, in addition to supporting infrastructure projects in many developing countries.
International Humanitarian City
International Humanitarian City (IHC), established in 2003, is a global humanitarian hub based in Dubai, which hosts the United Nations agencies, non-profits and non-governmental organisations. Its mandate is to facilitate international aid operations using its transport and logistics capacity to enable aid agencies to provide swift and efficient emergency relief items to victims of crises. The IHC’s strategic geographic location enables the humanitarian community to reach two-thirds of the world’s population within four to eight hours.
UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia)
The UAE Water Aid Foundation (Suqia) was established in 2015 to provide clean drinking water to underprivileged communities by drilling wells, distributing water pumps and purification equipment, and undertaking desalination projects. The Foundation also invests in research to address water scarcity. It has established the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Water Award to recognise individuals and organisations with outstanding efforts to find sustainable and innovative solar-powered solutions for water scarcity.
Mohammed bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy
Launched in 2016 to help achieve Dubai Global Vision for Awqaf and Endowments, the Centre offers free consultancy services to individuals and regional and international organisations, with the aim of stimulating and empowering awqaf and endowments to respond to urgent social needs. It works with partners to define a clear legislative framework, identify urgent needs and encourage crowdfunding of awqaf and endowment projects.
UAE Food Bank
The UAE Food Bank was launched in January 2017 as the country’s first comprehensive humanitarian, social, economic and cultural ecosystem that aims to provide food support for disadvantaged communities in the UAE and abroad. The Bank collects surplus food from hotels, restaurants, supermarkets, farms and other food establishments, and distributes it to people in need, in coordination with a network of local and international charities.
1 Billion Meals Endowment
The ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ was launched in March 2023 as the largest food aid endowment project aiming to provide a food safety net for underprivileged populations, especially in countries struggling with food insecurity. The project also aims to implement sustainable measures and programs to fight and eradicate hunger within an institutional framework, thus representing a key milestone in the UAE’s humanitarian record.