Page 131 - MBRF PR REPORT - MARCH 2025

encompasses over 30 institutions and initiatives, implementing hundreds of projects across five
key areas: Humanitarian Aid & Relief, Healthcare & Disease Control, Spreading Education &
Knowledge, Innovation & Entrepreneurship, and Empowering Communities.
Humanitarian aid and relief

Humanitarian Aid and Relief is a core pillar of MBRGI, reflecting its commitment to alleviating
suffering worldwide. In 2024, MBRGI spent over AED944 million on humanitarian aid and relief,
impacting over 37 million people globally. Key projects included the launch of the ‘1B Tower’, an
AED800 million endowment tower supporting the 1 Billion Meals Endowment, and Dubai
Humanitarian’s (formerly International Humanitarian City) 20th anniversary and rebranding,
facilitating the distribution of 1,255 metric tonnes of aid to 3.7 million beneficiaries.

At the 2024 World Economic Forum in Davos, MBRGI announced partnerships with UN agencies to
enhance food security. This included AED30 million for UNICEF to support children and women and
AED43 million for the World Food Programme (WFP) to provide direct food aid to Gaza, impacting
one million people. Following His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid’s directive, MBRGI, in
partnership with WFP, also provided urgent food aid to 250,000 people in Lebanon as part of the
‘UAE Stands with Lebanon’ campaign.

Healthcare and disease control

Healthcare & Disease Control is another core pillar of MBRGI, focusing on treatment, prevention,
and health awareness programmes. In 2024, MBRGI invested over AED210 million in healthcare,
impacting 6.5 million people globally. Key initiatives included an AED37 million commitment to
support Gaza’s health sector, providing essential medical supplies, particularly for children,
through a partnership with the World Health Organisation. MBRGI also contributed an additional
AED220 million (bringing the total to AED320 million) to the Magdi Yacoub Heart Foundation for the
construction and equipping of the Magdi Yacoub Global Heart Centre in Cairo. In recognition of His
Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum’s support for humanitarian and medical
initiatives, the new medical complex at the centre will bear his name.

In 2024, the foundation stone was laid for the Hamdan bin Rashid Cancer Hospital, Dubai’s first
comprehensive cancer hospital. The Dubai Health Authority announced the hospital’s planned
opening in 2026, supported by donations received by the Al Jalila Foundation.
Spreading education and knowledge

MBRGI prioritises the spreading of education and knowledge as fundamental to thriving societies.
In 2024, MBRGI invested over AED599 million in education, impacting over 100 million people
globally.

A key 2024 initiative was the launch of the ‘Mothers’ Endowment’ campaign by HH Sheikh
Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, establishing a AED1 billion fund to support education for
millions worldwide.

The 8th Arab Reading Challenge concluded in 2024 with over 28 million student participants from
229,000 schools across 50 countries, supervised by more than 154,000 individuals.

https://gulfnews.com/uae/government/dubai-s-humanitarian-initiatives-impact-149-million-lives-
in-119-countries-1.500064759