DUBAI: The Rotary Club of Dubai, Dubai Rotaract and the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP), in association with the UAE Red Crescent Authority, launched a Ramadan fundraising and awareness campaign enabling the public to double their online donations to WFP. Throughout the month of Ramadan, the Rotary Club of Dubai will match every dollar (four dirhams) donated to WFP through wfp.org/Ramadan, up to US$100,000. “This initiative illustrates the core of our values and objectives, at a time when charity takes on renewed cultural and ethical significance,"said the President of the Rotary Club of Dubai Yaseen M. Jaffer.“We hope that our commitment to match all donations made to WFP throughout the holy month will help encourage more people to donate and endorsea truly pressing cause." This initiative has been possible thanks to members of the DubaiRotaract, the youth arm of the Rotary Club of Dubai. “Hunger is an injustice we can all relate to, especially when experiencing the holy practice of fasting during Ramadan," said the President of Dubai RotaractMarianne Berthelot. “With this campaign alone, the potential exists to feed hundreds of thousands of people while at the same time raising awareness about the issue of hunger." Throughout Ramadan, the Rotary Club's support means each dirham, when matched, will be enough to feed two school children for a day. A donation of only 100 dirhams online,doubledby the Rotary Club of Dubai, will provide school meals for a child for a year. “The breakthrough alliance between two major non-profit organizations such as the Rotary and WFP is driven by a shared vision of a world free of hunger and extreme poverty. The impact of this benevolent partnership will come down to the willingness of people and companies reading this to act for the cause," said Partnerships & Business Development Manager for WFP in the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and Eastern Europe Elise Bijon.“Our hope is that as many people as possible would contact us or go online and grab this chance to double the impact of their donations and reach twice as many children in need." WFP is the world's largest humanitarian organization fighting hunger worldwide.Each year, on average, WFP feeds more than 90 million people in more than 70 countries. Today, around 900 million people do not get enough food to lead a healthy and active life.
