A UAE humanitarian initiative aiming to deliver a critical lifeline to five million children at risk of hunger across the globe raised more than Dh1 billion on Saturday night.
The 11.5 Edge of Life campaign was launched by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to coincide with the start of Ramadan.
It set out to raise Dh1 billion for the cause during the holy month, but passed that goal in a number of hours as benevolent businesses, philanthropic organisations and individuals from home and abroad came together to lend a helping hand to those less fortunate.
About Dh1.5 billion has now been raised in less than three weeks since the Ramadan scheme was announced.
The life-saving drive is seeking to address stark statistics that show 45 per cent of deaths in children under the age of five – about 2.6 million – are tied to malnutrition, making it a leading cause of child mortality worldwide.
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