Ramadan is the busiest season for charity in the Gulf, and in recent years Dubai has used it to launch very large public campaigns. Two of the best known are the 1 Billion Meals initiative and the Fathers’ Endowment, both part of the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI).
1 Billion Meals
The 1 Billion Meals initiative grew out of earlier Ramadan food campaigns. The idea was simple: individuals, companies and institutions in the UAE donate, and the money is used to deliver food parcels and meals to vulnerable people abroad through partners such as the UN World Food Programme and local relief groups.
According to MBRGI’s 2025 results, the initiative was completed in July 2025, having delivered meals in 65 countries. Its work continues through a permanent endowment model, where donations are invested and the returns fund food support year after year.
The Fathers’ Endowment
Launched for Ramadan 2025, the Fathers’ Endowment set out to raise Dh1 billion to create a fund for medical treatment for people who cannot afford it. It ended up raising Dh3.72 billion from more than 277,000 contributors, almost four times its target.
Why the endowment model matters
An endowment (known in Islamic tradition as a waqf) keeps the original donation invested and spends only the income. This gives charities a steady, predictable source of money instead of depending on a single campaign. Saudi Arabia uses the same idea in its Ehsan Waqf Fund.
How people actually donate
Donations to these campaigns are made only through official channels: the campaign’s own website, SMS short codes announced by the UAE government, and bank transfers to named accounts. These campaigns collect money — they never ask the public to pay a fee to receive help.
Sources
Khaleej Times (25 April 2026); MBRGI Year in Review 2025; Dubai Media Office.
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