Dubai Cares mobilises support for eco-friendly school meals in Africa

DUBAI, 19th February, 2026 (WAM) — Dubai Cares, part of Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives, has launched its Ramadan campaign under the slogan Feed a Child, Build a Kitchen, harnessing the spirit of the UAE’s Year of Family to unite efforts around a shared goal of ensuring that no child has to learn on an empty stomach.

The campaign aims to support the planet-friendly school meals programme, which will begin in Kenya before expanding across Sub-Saharan Africa, transforming collective generosity into sustainable nourishment, greater opportunity and enhanced resilience for children and their families in the face of hunger and malnutrition.

The launch comes amid data indicating that more than 90 percent of children in Africa lack access to a balanced diet, while 60 percent of children in Kenya suffer from malnutrition, directly affecting their attendance, concentration and academic performance.

The initiative is based on an integrated model centred on the construction of climate-friendly community kitchens that provide daily meals to students, in partnership with Food4Education in Kenya. The approach ensures sustainable nutrition and strengthens local systems for delivering school meals at scale.

Dr. Tariq Mohammed Al Gurg, Chief Executive Officer and Vice Chairman of Dubai Cares, said that student health and nutrition are fundamental pillars in strengthening education systems, stressing that the model will commence in Kenya and expand across Sub-Saharan Africa through community partnerships that support farmers, create employment opportunities and reinforce local food systems.

The first phase is set to begin in Embu County, where each kitchen will provide 76,000 meals annually to around 400 children across 21 rural schools. The programme will also generate more than 160 local job opportunities and support thousands of farmers under a model designed for long-term scalability.