The United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), in partnership with the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI) and the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), has launched a $300 million collaboration aimed at saving 3 million children from malnutrition worldwide.
As part of this strategic partnership, an initial catalytic donation of $100 million will enable UNICEF to mobilize an additional $200 million, scaling up life-saving nutrition programs across the globe.
This initiative forms part of the broader Edge of Life Campaign, which seeks to reach five million children in vulnerable communities through a coalition of partners.
Through its technical expertise and extensive on-the-ground presence, UNICEF will expand access to preventive, early detection, and treatment services for children facing the greatest nutritional risks.
Launched during Ramadan by HH Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the UAE and Ruler of Dubai, the campaign aims to raise hundreds of millions of dollars to combat childhood hunger worldwide.
Global impact and urgency
The campaign is gaining momentum, with CIFF’s support highlighting the global commitment to tackling childhood hunger.
UNICEF plays a key role, using its Child Nutrition Fund to run sustainable programs in the world’s most vulnerable communities. Today, five children under the age of five die from malnutrition every minute, showing the urgent need for scalable solutions.
HE Mohammad Al Gergawi, Secretary General of MBRGI, stated that, “CIFF and UNICEF’s contributions, alongside MBRGI’s implementation efforts, reflect a profound partnership and a shared vision for strategically combating malnutrition worldwide.”
Lana Khalil Al-Wreikat UNICEF Gulf Area Director
“The Edge of Life campaign and CIFF’s contributions represent a major milestone at a time when childhood hunger is reaching alarming levels globally. UNICEF’s decades of on-the-ground experience and technical expertise ensure that every contribution is translated into measurable impact for children, delivering life-saving treatment and preventive services where they are needed most.”
Anna Hakobyan, Chief Impact Officer and Executive Director for Nutrition at CIFF, added that, “CIFF is proud to deepen its longstanding collaboration with UNICEF and MBRGI to support essential child nutrition. This milestone marks a significant step toward scaling malnutrition treatment and prevention. Our goal is to reach over five million children, helping them not only survive but thrive.”
