18 Sep 2022; MEMO: The UAE has introduced a "Bread for All" initiative in Dubai aimed at providing underprivileged families and workers with free bread through smart vending machines located across the Emirate.
The Mohammed bin Rashid Global Centre for Endowment Consultancy (MBRGCEC), under the Awqaf and Minors Affairs Foundation (AMAF) launched the project yesterday.
According to the state news agency, WAM "The digital initiative aims to provide fresh bread to those in need through smart machines deployed in several outlets. The pre-programmed machines prepare bread and provide it free of charge as part of a modern and sustainable model of charity work."
The initiative is the result of a collaboration with Aswaaq supermarkets and will see the machines placed at their branches in various locations.
The machines are user-friendly, where any person in need can press the 'order' button. After a short wait, as the bread is being prepared, it will be dispensed from the machine, explained The National.
The charity project aims to encourage engagement from community members, with individuals able to donate to the initiative through SMS texts, online and via the Dubai Now app.
Ali Al-Mutawa, Secretary General of AMAF told WAM: "This initiative is an exemplary model for an innovative community endowment that allows everyone to participate, creating a comprehensive charity movement and enhancing the spirit of solidarity among various social segments."
"We look forward to expanding the scope of cooperation with the initiative's partners in the local community to reach the most beneficiaries," he added.
The "Bread for All" initiative is said to be in line with the vision of the Vice President of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al-Maktoum who at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 stated that "In the UAE, no one sleeps hungry or in need."
