Haba Na Haba Food Bank has launched the “One Billion Meals” endowment campaign, a global initiative funded by the Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum, and overseen in Africa by the Food Banking Regional Network (FBRN).
The Ugandan launch, held at St. James Bbina Catholic Parish in Mutungo, brought together religious leaders, development partners, and community organisations to mark the start of the countrywide distribution campaign targeting orphanages, people with disabilities, refugees, and low-income households.
The initiative is expected to provide over 1,760,000 meals across Kampala, Wakiso, Iganga, and Budaka districts. Despite Uganda’s vast agricultural potential, hunger and food insecurity remain widespread. Jessica Bagenda, co-founder and CEO of Haba Na Haba Food Bank, said the situation reflects not just human suffering but also a setback to national development.
“In a world of plenty, millions still go to bed hungry every night. Hunger is not only the absence of food but the absence of opportunity, dignity, and hope,” she said.
The initial phase will see 2,550 food boxes distributed, with a total of 5,100 boxes planned. Each box contains staples such as rice, maize flour, sugar, and milk, enough to feed a family of five for one month.
The current distribution phase is valued at about $142,000, with individual box assembly costs ranging between $120 and $150. Speaking as the guest of honour, Eng. Mohammed Bukenya, chief of protocol and translation at the UAE Embassy in Kampala and Bujumbura, hailed the partnership as a milestone in humanitarian cooperation.
“This is a great achievement. We hope that in time to come, inshallah, we shall go beyond a billion meals. I think we began with 200 million meals; today, we have reached 1 billion meals,” he said.
Bukenya also commended the Ugandan government for maintaining strong bilateral ties with the UAE, which he said have enabled several life-changing initiatives, including the feeding of vulnerable communities.
The first distribution benefited Rahab, an organisation based in Makindye that supports and rehabilitates young girls. Accepting the donation on behalf of the group, Allen Kilabira expressed gratitude to both the UAE and Haba Na Haba for their continued generosity and commitment to community empowerment.
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