10 million meals initiative launched by His Highness Sheikh Mohamed Bin Rashid

The General Directorate of Residency and Foreigners Affairs in (GDRFA) and the Permanent Committee for Labor Affairs in Dubai announced their solidarity with the initiative by His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, and his wife Her Highness Sheikha Hind Bint Maktoum bin Juma Al Maktoum, Chairman of the Board of Trustees of the Emirates Food Bank. The campaign ‘10 million meals’ is the biggest national and community-based campaign that aims to provide meals or food parcels to support vulnerable individuals and low-income families in various regions of the UAE. His Excellency Major General Mohammed Ahmed Al Marri, Director General of GDRFA in Dubai, asserted: “This initiative highlights the coming together of government institutions and private sectors to work together with team spirit, and contribute to providing aid to all members of the society. It strengthens the role of the partnership between the GDRFA and the Committee and the strategic partners. Thus, our goal will be to deliver the meals to the beneficiaries of the program.” He stated: “We are pleased with our participation in this great humanitarian initiative and to contribute to the creation of the largest societal system of solidarity and support, especially throughout the Holy month of Ramadan. Therefore, we must stand by our country, the UAE that has always taught us to be active in goodness and charity, and to spread peace and tranquillity among all its citizens and residents. Nobody will go hungry and we will lend a helping hand to everyone.” His Excellency Al Marri said that GDRFA will offer logistical support for the initiative by providing the largest number of volunteers of its employees. It will also allocate a number of vehicles to reach the target of the initiative. He indicated that GDRFA will provide all data and information of the companies located in Dubai to reduce time and minimize efforts and financial burden for the Committee to reach every resident worker in the emirate. His Excellency asserted that the Directorate will work in line with approved standards and practices to supervise the distribution operations and safety procedures for its volunteer employees. His Excellency Major General Obaid Muhair bin Suroor, Deputy Director General the GDRFA in Dubai, and the Chairman of the Permanent Committee for Labor Affairs in Dubai, confirmed the keenness of the Committee to support the UAE’s initiatives. It will provide aid and assistance to community members. He underlined that this campaign is a great humanitarian initiative that embodies the spirit of social solidarity and cohesion that prevails across the UAE and this initiative invites us all to stand up hand in hand. Hence, it confirms the honourable role played by our leadership in consolidating the deeply rooted values in the hearts of its loyal children, who have shown honourable images of solidarity, cohesion, and responding to the call whenever needed. His Excellency Major General Bin Surour indicated that there will be great cooperation with strategic partners and institutions. The government will distribute lunch parcels to the needy ones during the Holy month of Ramadan, and the Committee will coordinate with the Department of Islamic Affairs and Endowments to inform the concerned authorities of the whereabouts of the resident low-income workers of various nationalities, as part of the Committee's efforts to support the national efforts of the UAE and its societal responsibility towards the sector of workers. It also strengthens the principle of social solidarity with all segments of society in order to make them happy and relieved during this unprecedented pandemic situation. Major General Bin Surour added: “The Committee will work in a spirit of solidarity with governmental institutions and charity associations in the country, to achieve the desired goal of the campaign. He said that the concerned authorities will deliver meals during the Holy month of Ramadan for the supervisors of workers' accommodations located in various areas of Dubai, who in turn will distribute the packages among workers. Also, the Committee followed up all procedures and precautionary measures to guarantee the safety of the meals, in line with the highest standards of health and food safety. “We are proud and pleased that GDRFA is supporting our efforts, and this is a good gesture from their part. We hope that other parties will follow suit, in order to achieve the desired goal of the initiative,” he concluded.