Latest news with #ValuingOurRoots
Al Etihad
13-03-2025
- General
- Al Etihad
Helping hands in action: UAE's volunteering spirit shines through ne'ma's Iftar Box Packing initiative
SARA ALZAABI (ABU DHABI) ne'ma, the UAE's National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, on Thursday hosted an iftar box packing event at its offices in Al Qana, where volunteers, partners and community members joined hands to support its expanding Food Rescue Programme. The event saw 100 volunteers, including staff, corporate partners, and the public, coming together to pack iftar boxes for distribution to low-income beneficiaries. The Iftar Box Packing Initiative is part of ne'ma's broader Valuing Our Roots campaign for Ramadan 2025, which reinforces the importance of responsible consumption, sustainability and community-driven action. ne'ma's Food Rescue Programme works to ensure that surplus food is safely redistributed rather than wasted, engaging key stakeholders across the food value system - including the hospitality sector, food producers and distributors - to divert food and deliver it to those in need. ne'ma is a collaborative effort with the UAE Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, the Emirates Foundation and many other stakeholders across the nation to build a network of trusted food loss and waste champions in the UAE, according to its website. Speaking to Aletihad, Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer at the Emirates Foundation and Secretary General of Ne'ma's Committee, said: "At the heart of ne'ma work is preserving existing food supplies so they are not wasted and are redirected to those in need. Many companies, especially during Ramadan, the month of giving, wish to donate their surplus to us. We collaborate with social benefit and charitable organisations, such as the Khalifa Bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, through which we deliver the products you saw today, as well as ne'ma iftar boxes to needy families. What also distinguishes us this year is that we have expanded the scope of the initiative. We are now present in Abu Dhabi, Al Ain, Al Dhafra, Bani Yas, Sharjah, and Al Falah in Abu Dhabi." The campaign saw increased distribution this year and plans to expand to more emirates in the future. A key attribute of its success is the strong collaboration with volunteers from various companies, highlighting the community's spirit of giving. Al Nuwais added: "Today, perhaps the reason for the initiative's success is the community's engagement this year. The spirit of volunteering you saw today is what sets this initiative apart and highlights how people are united in their desire to deliver food to needy families or individuals. This year, the collaboration between the ne'ma initiative and the Takatof has made a positive difference, contributing back to the community with a positive spirit. Whatever is delivered will reach the people. Of course, the primary goal of the ne'ma initiative is to reduce food waste, which aligns with the country's food security strategy and reflects the vision of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan to conserve our resources and rationalise consumption." Takatof is a voluntary social programme designed by the Emirates Foundation to foster a culture of volunteering in the UAE. Mohamed Al Hosani, Director of Programmes at the Emirates Foundation, said the Iftar Box Packing Initiative initiative has more than 400 volunteers across the country. " Their main task includes collecting surplus food and distributing it to those in need in various parts of the country, as well as providing food to those in need elsewhere. We deliver the boxes through our partners, whom we thank," Al Hosani told Aletihad. "Today, we have many partners and volunteers, mostly employees who have the opportunity to volunteer in this field, and the demand is very high. The challenge we face is that the number of volunteers exceeds the available opportunities," he added. Al Hosani stressed that the culture of volunteering has grown significantly in the UAE, with a noticeable rise in participation in recent years. Many individuals are actively engaging in volunteer efforts, particularly in helping families in need. Dr. Bushra Al Ghailani, a volunteer participating in packing ne'ma iftar boxes, told Aletihad: "This year, the Year of the Community, we are eager to serve. The initiative aims to preserve blessings and reduce food waste by distributing it to needy families." "Such initiatives remind us of our responsibility to society, especially during Ramadan. I encourage everyone to participate and involve their families as it is a small service we offer in return to the state and society," She added. Another volunteer, Mosab Hassan shared his experience with Aletihad: "Volunteering is not new to me. I participated last year during Ramadan with the Emirates Red Crescent. These experiences highlight our company's commitment to giving back to the community. With over 10 years of volunteering, I find joy in helping others and making their lives easier. It is a beautiful sight to see so many people unite for a noble cause."
The National
13-03-2025
- General
- The National
Volunteers gather in Abu Dhabi to pack iftar boxes for low-income residents
N'ema, the UAE's national food loss and waste initiative, on Thursday hosted an iftar box-packing event in Al Qana, Abu Dhabi. The event brought together more than 100 volunteers to pack boxes as part of Ne'ma's Valuing Our Roots campaign for Ramadan. More than 5,000 boxes have been prepared and sent out across Abu Dhabi and Sharjah since the holy month began. The authority's food rescue programme works to ensure that surplus food is safely redistributed rather than wasted. It brings together food producers, distributors and the hospitality sector to divert food and deliver to those in need. The Ramadan campaign consists of three key pillars: the family iftar box programme, the one million surplus meals drive and the Ne'ma community fridges initiative. "We came here today to do good for other people," Zayed Al Hazaili, one of the volunteers on Thursday, told The National. "We organised different food including dates, vegetables and fruit. It's important to do good for the soul and support people in the community by giving back from our blessings." "Giving back to the community is the least we could do," said Abdullah Alryami, another volunteer. "It's our duty to help in the country's humanitarian mission in the grander picture. This is also a way to support in the nation's efforts in food security." The family iftar box programme takes surplus food from distributors, retailers and farmers, channelling it to low-income beneficiaries in Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, Al Ain and Sharjah. Each box contains fresh produce, staple grains, sources protein and essential pantry items. More than 400 volunteers are engaged in food rescue efforts this Ramadan, with support from UAE-based food producers, including Silal, Al Barakah Dates, IFFCO, Ektifa, Arla, Safco and Bel Group. The one million surplus meals project works with the hospitality sector to collect and redistribute untouched food from restaurants and hotels. The community fridges initiative provides a structured way to distribute surplus food in high-demand areas across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Last year, 16 hotels participated, successfully providing 11,581 meals. This year, 35 hotels and hospitality partners are working with Ne'ma on the project. 'Reducing food waste is a high priority for the UAE,' said Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, chief sustainability officer of the Emirates Foundation and Ne'ma's committee secretary general. 'Ramadan is a time of generosity and reflection, and is a great opportunity to strengthen community connections while working hand-in-hand with our partners to redistribute surplus produce to low-income families.' Ne'ma was established in 2022 under the directive of President Sheikh Mohammed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi at the time, with the aim of addressing overproduction and overconsumption. "The work being done here can be used as a prototype for other communities outside the UAE. Last year we visited Japan and Denmark to transfer the knowledge and experience we gained through Ne'ma," Ms Al Nuwais added. "We are always pioneering in the UAE and the experiences we have here can be exported and implemented internationally to reduce food waste and bolster food security."
Gulf Today
07-03-2025
- Business
- Gulf Today
ne'ma extends ‘Valuing Our Roots' Campaign in Ramadan
ne'ma, the UAE National Food Loss and Waste Initiative, has extended its 2025 Ramadan campaign, Valuing Our Roots, reinforcing the importance of responsible consumption, sustainability, and community-driven action during the Holy Month of Ramdan. ne'ma's campaign calls on individuals, families, and businesses to make intentional choices when shopping, cooking, sharing, and preparing for large gatherings. This approach upholds the values of reflection, gratitude, and balance while promoting the mindful use of resources during Ramadan. Through community-driven initiatives, the campaign highlights food rescue, redistribution, and waste reduction, aligning with the UAE's goal to cut food loss and waste by 50 per cent by 2030. ne'ma continues to collaborate with key partners across the food ecosystem to promote mindfulness, ensuring surplus food is rescued and redistributed effectively. A key campaign initiative is ne'ma's sponsorship of the One Million Surplus Meals, a large-scale effort to recover and distribute untouched surplus food in collaboration with the UAE Food Bank and Reloop, and involving hotels, restaurants, and catering services companies (HORECA). The initiative also incorporates food waste recycling, with inedible food waste collected for composting, supporting a circular economy approach. The programme will engage more than 75 hotels across Abu Dhabi, Dubai, and Ras Al Khaimah, with structured data collection to measure its impact on food waste reduction. During Ramadan, ne'ma is also scaling up Community Smart Fridges, working with the HORECA sector and tech startups, to place fridges in high-demand areas, ensuring surplus food is safely redistributed. The fridges will be stocked with freshly prepared meals and available in several locations across Abu Dhabi and Dubai. The initiative includes training for kitchen and hospitality staff on standardised meal packaging, and a structured collection and distribution system to ensure efficiency and safety. The ne'ma Family Iftar Box programme, in partnership with Takatof, focuses on rescuing surplus food from food distributors, retailers, and farmers. Volunteers will pack and distribute these food boxes across Abu Dhabi, Al Dhafra, Al Ain, Sharjah, and Ras Al Khaimah, ensuring that high-quality surplus food reaches families in need instead of going to waste. Khuloud Hassan Al Nuwais, Chief Sustainability Officer of the Emirates Foundation, and ne'ma's Committee Secretary-General, said, 'Ramadan is a time of generosity, gratitude, and shared responsibility. With Valuing Our Roots, we are taking real action to rescue food, reduce waste, and ensure that resources are used responsibly. By making mindful choices-when we shop, cook, share, and celebrate-we can honor our traditions while also protecting our future. Through collective action, we can move closer to becoming a nation where no food is wasted.' The new initiative builds on the success of the 'Count Your ne'ma' (Count Your Blessings), campaign launched last year, which adopted a practical approach to saving food and redistributing it, in addition to ongoing efforts to reduce waste. By integrating data-driven strategies, expanding partnerships, and engaging volunteers, the 'Valuing Our Roots' campaign aims to create long-term behavioural change and further strengthen the UAE's leadership in food sustainability. The campaign also represents a unified effort to prevent food from reaching landfills during Ramadan and beyond. In line with the UAE's Year of Community, the campaign builds on last year's Count Your Blessings initiative by taking an action-oriented approach to food rescue, redistribution, and waste reduction efforts. Earlier, His Highness Sheikh Mansour Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President, Deputy Prime Minister and Chairman of the Presidential Court, received the team behind the 'ne'ma' initiative, which aims to reduce food loss and waste while promoting sustainable food consumption in the country. During the meeting at Qasr Al Watan, His Highness Sheikh Mansour listened to a detailed explanation from the team about the initiative's objectives and key areas of focus, including data analysis, measuring food loss and waste, community awareness, driving behavioural change and policy development.
