Dubai: Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has launched a Ramadan campaign titled "Feed a Child, Build a Kitchen." The initiative aims to leverage the UAE's Year of Family to ensure that children do not have to learn on an empty stomach.
According to Emirates News Agency, the campaign supports a planet-friendly school meals programme that will initially be implemented in Kenya, with plans to expand across Sub-Saharan Africa. This programme seeks to transform collective generosity into sustainable nourishment, greater opportunity, and enhanced resilience for children and their families, addressing hunger and malnutrition.
The launch of the campaign aligns with data showing that over 90 percent of children in Africa lack access to a balanced diet, with 60 percent of Kenyan children suffering from malnutrition. This nutritional deficit negatively impacts their school attendance, concentration, and academic performance.
The initiative employs an integrated model focused on building climate-friendly community kitchens to provide daily meals to students. This effort is in collaboration with Food4Education in Kenya and aims to deliver sustainable nutrition while strengthening local systems for large-scale school meal distribution.
Dr. Tariq Mohammed Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Dubai Cares, emphasized the importance of student health and nutrition in strengthening education systems. He noted that the model will start in Kenya and eventually expand across Sub-Saharan Africa through community partnerships that support local farmers, create jobs, and enhance food systems.
The first phase, set to begin in Embu County, will see each kitchen providing 76,000 meals annually to approximately 400 children across 21 rural schools. This phase is also expected to create over 160 local jobs and support thousands of farmers, with a model designed for long-term scalability.