VIDEO: Sheikh Mohammed launches ‘Edge of Life’ campaign to save 5m children from hunger

His Highness Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President, Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, has launched the “Edge of Life” campaign, aimed at saving five million children under the age of five from death due to malnutrition and hunger.

Sheikh Mohammed wrote on his X account: “Brothers and sisters, in a few days we will welcome a blessed and dear month. As is our annual custom to launch a humanitarian Ramadan campaign from the people of the UAE to the world, this month we are launching the ‘Edge of Life’ campaign, which aims to save five million children under the age of five from death due to malnutrition and hunger. Last year, more than 118 million children worldwide suffered from malnutrition. According to estimates, 2.6 million of them died due to hunger.”

He added: “It is not in our nature or values to witness such a human tragedy before the eyes of the world and do nothing. We are launching this campaign with a group of international organisations, and our goal is to mobilise efforts to collect at least one billion dirhams, locally and internationally, to save five million children who are on the edge of life.”

Sheikh Mohammed further said: “May Almighty Allah protect our country, protect our people, guide us to all that is good, and unite us in this month of goodness for the best acts of charity — feeding the poor and needy.”

The campaign continues Sheikh Mohammed's tradition of launching a humanitarian campaign every Ramadan, reflecting the UAE community’s deeply held values of giving and generosity and willingness to extend help to people everywhere.

The campaign builds upon the vision of Sheikh Mohammed of prioritising the fight against hunger and making it a key focus of several humanitarian initiatives sponsored by His Highness.

The global humanitarian campaign focuses on children at risk of hunger in the world’s most vulnerable communities, especially in areas of natural disasters and conflicts, as statistics show that 5 children under the age of 5 die of hunger and malnutrition around the world every minute.

The campaign invites participation from all segments of the UAE community, both individuals and institutions, and serves as a practical expression of human solidarity and the collective responsibility to safeguard children’s fundamental rights to life, growth and dignity.

'NO BETTER WAY TO WELCOME RAMADAN'

Sheikh Mohammed said, "There is no better way to welcome the Holy Month of Ramadan than by standing in solidarity with humanity, saving lives and ensuring that those in need can live with dignity. This year, we launch the Edge of Life campaign to rescue five million children around the world from hunger.

"Every good act represents a source of power and blessing at once. The UAE continues to lead globally through this humanitarian power, inspired by our long-standing Emirati legacy.”

Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid affirmed that this latest Ramadan campaign embodies the noble values on which the UAE was founded and is rooted in the nation’s commitment to serving as a global model of giving and generosity, and an inspiration to creating positive impact in underserved communities, empowering them to shape a better future.

Sheikh Mohammed added, "Tens of millions of children around the world suffer from hunger. Our goal is to protect them, now and always.”

Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary-General of the Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), stated that the campaign reflects the vision of His Highness Sheikh Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum for fostering a culture of giving and generosity.

He added that the campaign sends a powerful message of solidarity from the UAE to the world, and a call for unified international efforts to protect millions of children against the threat of hunger.

Al Gergawi said, "Millions of children suffer from life-threatening malnutrition. Our goal is to rescue 5 million children and protect another 30 million children from the threat of hunger."

He further noted that the Ramadan campaign serves as a key humanitarian response and a contribution to global efforts in the face of the escalating global hunger crisis and the suffering of children facing severe nutritional deficiencies.

Al Gergawi added that the campaign comes at a critical point when international organisations navigate funding shortfalls, particularly in countries grappling with compounded issues related to conflict, forced displacement and the aftermath of climate change.

The 11.5: Edge of Life campaign will implement sustainable programmes and projects that help fight child hunger and malnutrition around the world and inspire a widespread community movement that supports its noble aims.

Forty-five per cent of deaths in children under the age of 5, around 2.6 million lives lost globally, are tied to malnutrition, making it a leading cause of child mortality worldwide.

The campaign is being launched in partnership with UNICEF, Save the Children, the Children's Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), and Action Against Hunger.

"11.5" is the mid-upper arm circumference (MUAC) for children between 6 months and 5 years. It is a medical measurement used for the early detection of acute malnutrition in children. According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) guidelines, a MUAC measurement of under 11.5 cm is, among other indicators, one of the criteria used to diagnose this serious condition.

This measurement is not arbitrary. It represents the recommendation by the WHO and Unicef to determine the most severe cases of malnutrition, requiring immediate medical attention due to their direct link to higher mortality rates if treatment is delayed or withheld.

The MUAC measurement is widely used in more vulnerable environments, including refugee camps and areas of conflict or natural disasters. It is a rapid, simple tool that does not require cumbersome equipment and can be used even by non-specialised caregivers.

This measurement is considered a direct and reliable indicator of a child’s nutritional state in emergency contexts when weight and height measurements can’t be taken in conventional ways. It offers health workers a decisive sign to make an instant decision regarding the need for urgent medical intervention.