Edge of Life: Dubai drive raises Dh2.822 billion to fight child hunger before Ramadan ends
UAE-led humanitarian campaign mobilises thousands of donors and global organisations
DUBAI – Dubai’s ambitious humanitarian drive to combat childhood hunger has concluded with remarkable momentum after surpassing its fundraising goal weeks ahead of schedule.
The ‘Edge of Life’ campaign, launched earlier this year to rescue millions of vulnerable children from hunger, raised more than Dh2.822 billion through contributions from individuals, businesses and philanthropic organisations worldwide.
The initiative was launched on February 13, 2026 by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, with an initial target of raising at least Dh1 billion to support life-saving nutrition programmes. By the time the campaign approached the end of the holy month of Ramadan, it had already exceeded its goal by a wide margin.
مع خواتيم الشهر الفضيل نختتم حملة "حد الحياة" التي أطلقناها خلال الشهر المبارك بهدف إنقاذ خمسة ملايين طفل من الموت بسبب الجوع حول العالم وبهدف منع 30 مليون طفل آخر من الانزلاق إلى سوء التغذية المؤدي للوفاة ..
— HH Sheikh Mohammed (@HHShkMohd) March 16, 2026
وبحمدالله وتوفيقه استطاعت الحملة تحقيق أكثر من 2.8 مليار درهم من… pic.twitter.com/AETCWc3Zdk
According to official figures, the campaign received support from 44,208 contributors, demonstrating the scale of global engagement and community participation in one of the largest humanitarian drives organised under the umbrella of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives.
Edge of Life
Announcing the campaign’s success, His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum highlighted the strong response from the community and global partners.
“As we near the end of the holy month of Ramadan, we conclude the Edge of Life campaign, which aimed to rescue five million children from hunger and prevent 30 million others from falling prey to life-threatening malnutrition,” he said.
“The campaign has raised more than Dh2.8 billion thanks to the generosity of more than 44,000 contributors, including individuals, institutions, humanitarian organisations and major donors.”
The initiative was designed to support programmes that directly address childhood hunger in the world’s most vulnerable communities, particularly regions affected by conflict, displacement and natural disasters. Global data indicates that five children under the age of five die every minute due to hunger or malnutrition, underscoring the urgency behind the campaign’s objectives.
The campaign was organised in partnership with several major humanitarian organisations, including UNICEF, Save the Children, Children’s Investment Fund Foundation and Action Against Hunger.
Donations flowed through seven accessible channels to encourage participation across communities. Contributors were able to donate through the campaign’s website, a dedicated call centre and direct bank transfers. Additional options included SMS contributions through telecom operators du and e&, as well as digital platforms such as DubaiNow, YallaGive and Dubai’s community platform Jood.
Global partnerships
A significant portion of the funds came through partnerships with international philanthropic organisations and foundations committed to tackling childhood hunger.
Combined contributions from campaign partners and major humanitarian organisations reached Dh2.115 billion. As part of a major collaborative initiative, the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives partnered with UNICEF and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation to establish a $300 million joint programme to expand nutrition interventions globally.
The partnership includes a joint $100 million contribution from MBRGI and CIFF, while UNICEF will mobilise an additional $200 million to scale programmes aimed at preventing and treating severe malnutrition among children in vulnerable regions.
CIFF separately announced a $100 million commitment to support the campaign’s broader objectives.
The campaign also drew support during a Suhoor gathering organised by MBRGI at the Armani Dubai Hotel at Burj Khalifa. The event brought together philanthropic leaders, business executives and global organisations to pledge support for the initiative.
The gathering was organised in collaboration with Badr Jafar, who serves as the Special Envoy of the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Business and Philanthropy.
During the event, several major organisations announced substantial pledges to support the campaign. These included a $100 million contribution from the Aga Khan Foundation, $50 million from the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, and another $50 million from the EdelGive Foundation.
Additional contributions included $20 million from the Tata Trusts, $50 million from the Piramal Foundation, $5 million from the Aliko Dangote Foundation, and $1.36 million pledged by Dalio Philanthropies.
Community support
The campaign also witnessed strong engagement from individuals and communities across the UAE and beyond. Individual contributions exceeded Dh707 million, reflecting widespread public participation in the humanitarian drive.
One of the notable fundraising components was the Most Noble Number charity auction, which has become a hallmark fundraising event supporting humanitarian causes in the UAE.
Organised by MBRGI in collaboration with Emirates Auction and supported by the Roads and Transport Authority along with telecom operators du and e& UAE, the live auction in Dubai raised Dh91.405 million for the campaign.
The event saw participants bid for exclusive vehicle number plates, with proceeds directed towards funding the initiative’s global nutrition programmes.
An additional online charity auction organised by the Integrated Transport Centre in collaboration with Emirates Auction raised a further Dh59.6 million through the sale of special plate numbers.
Officials highlighted that such initiatives have consistently played a key role in mobilising funds for humanitarian causes, while also engaging communities in creative forms of philanthropy.
Ramadan legacy
The Edge of Life campaign builds on a series of major Ramadan initiatives launched over the past several years under the directives of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum.
In 2020, the ‘10 Million Meals’ campaign was launched to support communities affected by the global pandemic and eventually distributed more than 15.3 million meals.
The following year saw the launch of the ‘100 Million Meals’ campaign, which exceeded expectations and ultimately delivered 220 million meals across 30 countries worldwide.
Momentum continued in 2022 with the ‘1 Billion Meals’ campaign, which reached its target in less than a month and expanded food support programmes to 50 countries.
The ‘1 Billion Meals Endowment’ initiative in 2023 established a sustainable model for tackling hunger and raised Dh1.075 billion by the end of Ramadan.
In 2024, the ‘Mothers’ Endowment’ campaign sought to honour mothers in the UAE by creating a Dh1 billion endowment fund to support education globally. The initiative surpassed its target before the end of Ramadan, raising more than Dh1.4 billion.
Last year’s ‘Fathers’ Endowment’ campaign focused on establishing a sustainable endowment fund dedicated to providing healthcare and medical treatment for vulnerable populations. The initiative raised more than Dh3.7 billion before the end of Ramadan.
According to Mohammad Al Gergawi, the Edge of Life campaign reflects a long-standing vision to make philanthropy a central value of society while addressing urgent global challenges.
He noted that the initiative demonstrates how humanitarian partnerships, community generosity and innovative fundraising models can collectively support large-scale efforts to combat childhood hunger and improve living conditions for the most vulnerable communities worldwide.
Al Gergawi also emphasised that MBRGI will continue strengthening collaboration with humanitarian organisations and international partners to advance its mission of supporting underserved populations and enabling them to lead safe and dignified lives.