ABU DHABI, 26th February, 2026 (WAM) — The United Arab Emirates has launched a series of global Ramadan initiatives and campaigns, reflecting its steadfast commitment to promoting the values of compassion, tolerance and giving.
Spanning continents and distinguished by innovative ideas and approaches, the initiatives further cement the UAE’s position as a beacon of humanitarianism and underscore its leadership in extending support to those in need wherever they may be.
In line with his annual tradition at the beginning of the Holy Month, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the ‘11.5: Edge of Life’ Ramadan campaign to rescue 5 million children worldwide from hunger.
The campaign focuses particularly on children facing the most severe forms of hunger in the world’s most vulnerable communities, especially in disaster, crisis and conflict zones, where five children under the age of five die every minute due to malnutrition and hunger.
The Emirates Red Crescent has announced that more than 1.5 million people inside the UAE and across 44 countries are benefiting from its Ramadan programmes this year, at an estimated cost exceeding AED60 million, as part of its ongoing efforts to alleviate humanitarian conditions in a number of countries.
The Gaza Strip and the Palestinian people remain a central focus of UAE initiatives during Ramadan. The aid ship Umm Al Emarat set sail for the Gaza Strip on 12th February, carrying more than 7,300 tonnes of food items, shelter materials and medical supplies to support food security and strengthen the urgent humanitarian response to affected families.
Moreover, H.H. Sheikh Humaid bin Rashid Al Nuaimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Ajman, has directed the launch of a humanitarian air bridge to deliver relief aid to the Gaza Strip during the Holy Month under Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, in support of the Palestinian people.
The air bridge is transporting food parcels, medical supplies and essential items for children and women, in addition to urgent basic necessities, contributing to meeting the living requirements of affected families during Ramadan.
Through Operation Chivalrous Knight 3, the UAE continues to dispatch humanitarian aid convoys to the Gaza Strip as part of its sustained relief efforts to support the Palestinian people and alleviate their suffering.
The Big Heart Foundation has launched the second edition of its Ramadan campaign, For Gaza, building on last year’s initiative to support orphaned children in the Gaza Strip. The campaign seeks to provide comprehensive and sustained care, including custom prosthetic limbs, physical rehabilitation, and psychological and social support.
In Mauritania, a delegation from the International Charity Organisation, headed by Dr. Khaled Abdulwahab Al Khaja, Secretary-General of the organisation, visited the country to oversee the implementation of 90 charitable projects benefiting poor villages and the most vulnerable groups.
Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has launched its Ramadan campaign under the slogan Feed a Child, Build a Kitchen, harnessing the spirit of the UAE’s Year of Family to ensure that no child has to learn on an empty stomach.
The campaign will support a planet-friendly school meals programme beginning in Kenya before expanding across Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming collective generosity into sustainable nourishment, greater opportunity and enhanced resilience for children and their families in the face of hunger and malnutrition.
The launch comes amid data indicating that more than 90 percent of children in Africa lack access to a balanced diet, while 60 percent of children in Kenya suffer from malnutrition, directly affecting their attendance, concentration and academic performance.
NEWS AND PICTURE COURTESY: WAM NEWS (www.wam.ae)
