The Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), the umbrella organisation for Dubai’s main charitable and humanitarian programmes, spent Dh2.3 billion in 2025. Its programmes reached 165 million people in 122 countries, 16 million more people and four more countries than in 2024. The results were announced in April 2026 at a board meeting chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
What is MBRGI?
MBRGI was formed in October 2015 to bring together more than 30 separate philanthropic initiatives under one roof. It is chaired by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, with Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohammed, the Crown Prince of Dubai, as deputy chairman. Its well-known members include Dubai Cares, the Al Jalila Foundation, Noor Dubai and the Arab Reading Challenge.
Spending by pillar in 2025
- Healthcare and disease control: Dh872 million, the largest share, supporting more than 396,000 people.
- Humanitarian aid and relief: over Dh625 million, reaching more than 53 million people.
- Spreading education and knowledge: Dh419 million, reaching 106 million people.
- Innovation and entrepreneurship: Dh239 million, benefiting about 1.4 million people.
- Empowering communities: more than Dh187 million, reaching about 3.9 million people.
Key programmes
Fathers’ Endowment: a Ramadan campaign to fund healthcare for those who cannot afford it raised Dh3.72 billion, almost four times its Dh1 billion target, from more than 277,000 contributors.
Al Jalila Foundation: its A’awen programme paid for the treatment of 3,605 patients, including 816 children, at a cost of about Dh143 million.
Food and relief: the 1 Billion Meals initiative was completed in July 2025 after delivering meals in 65 countries. Dubai Humanitarian sent 789 tonnes of aid to 2.8 million people in Palestine, Afghanistan, Myanmar and Sri Lanka, and a Dh37 million joint project with the WHO targets health needs in Gaza and the West Bank.
Education: the ninth Arab Reading Challenge attracted more than 32 million students from 50 countries, and the Digital School expanded to 39 countries with over 800,000 students.
Volunteers
MBRGI reported 185,670 volunteers in 2025, up from 171,892 the year before, alongside 990 staff.
Important: MBRGI does not take applications for cash help through social media. Any page claiming to register people for “Sheikh Mohammed’s grant” is not official.
Sources
Khaleej Times and Gulf News (25 April 2026); Dubai Media Office; MBRGI Year in Review 2025.
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