UAE charity delivers 615,000 iftar meals in Dh165 million Ramadan drive

The National

09-04-2025

A leading UAE charitable organisation delivered more than 600,000 iftar meals in the Emirates and across the globe as part of a Dh165 million ($44.9 million) Ramadan drive. The International Charity Organisation – which was established in Ajman in 1984 and operates in 23 countries – offered critical support to people in need through a variety of humanitarian projects held during the holy month. The ICO organises charity campaigns annually in celebration of the generous spirit of Ramadan, which this year was observed from March 1 to March 29 in the Emirates. Key successes of the 2025 initiative included the distribution of 315,000 iftar meals in "highly impoverished regions" and 22,000 food parcels in more than 450 villages internationally, state news agency Wam reported on Wednesday. Within the UAE, the ICO served up a further 300,000 iftar meals, 3,500 Ramadan food baskets, and 80,000 Fitra – also known as Zakat Al Fitr – donations of food given to needy families before the start of Eid Al Fitr. The Ramadan effort also funded the building of 258 mosques, supported the drilling of 1,000 water wells in areas facing water scarcity, and provided assistance to 60,000 orphans. Additional charitable endeavours encompassed medical care and equipment provision, debt relief efforts, and support for income-generating family projects. Sheikh Dr Mohammed Al Nuaimi, chairman of the ICO's board of trustees, said crucial support from the public had helped exceed the initial targets of the campaign and reiterated the UAE's commitment to providing assistance to vulnerable people in all corners of the globe. He offered his thanks to the dedicated teams of the ICO for their outstanding contributions during Ramadan and highlighted that a spirit of giving remained at the heart of the body's work. The UAE seeks to put philanthropy in focus during Ramadan, with charitable drives regularly launched during the period. This year, the UAE raised more than Dh3.72 billon through the Fathers' Endowment campaign, which was created to provide 'treatment and health care to the poor and needy'. This figure was reached thanks to the contributions of 277,000 donors. Meanwhile, the UAE Food Bank distributed millions of meals both domestically and internationally as part of its United in Giving campaign.