UAE charity supports elderly, widows

A United Arab Emirates-based charity has partnered with a Uganda charity organisation, Haba Na Haba, to supply food to the vulnerable in Kampala and other parts of the country.

The director and co-founder of Haba Na Haba Food Bank, Jessica Bagenda, said her charity will supply food to 5,000 vulnerable families, especially during this partial lockdown.

The initiative is a result of co-operation agreement between Mohamed Bin Rashid Foundation of Global Initiative of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) with the Food Banking Regional Network, to which Haba Na Haba is a member.

Bagenda was addressing journalists after delivering food to the elderly and widows of Acholi Quarters in Kasokoso, Kireka, Wakiso district recently.

She said Haba Na Haba Food Bank has also supplied food to rehabilitation and reception centres in Kampala and also plans to deliver to Mukono district and Bugembe in Busoga Haba Na Haba Food Bank is a non-government organisation founded in 2015 with a goal of alleviating hunger and strengthening local communities through reducing food waste.

Alshamsi (second-left) handing over food relief to Brother Bernard Kerketta, the caretaker of Missionaries of the Poor Good Shepherds Home, in Kisenyi, Kampala recently.

The UAE ambassador to Uganda, Abdulla Alshamsi, flagged-off the delivery of the food in Kisenyi, Kampala recently.

The launch took place at Missionaries of the Poor Good Shepherds Home in Kisenyi, Mengo, a city suburb.

WHAT ENVOY SAYS

Alshamsi said the distribution of food packages, carrying basic and essential items, under the initiative, targets orphanages, refugee centres, slum dwellers, widows, low-income individuals and families registered with the food bank in Kampala and other targeted districts.

He added that he hopes the targeted groups will benefit from the initiative that is meant to further strengthen the already existing relations between the two countries.

The ambassador said Mohammed Bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives provides 100 million meals to vulnerable people in different parts of the world.

Dr Moez El Shohdi, the chief executive officer of Food Banking regional Network, said availing vulnerable people with food support brings them hope and a sense of security. The food boxes contained 2kg of sugar, 5km of rice, six packets of milk, two packets of salt and two packets of wheat.

Others were one litre of cooking oil, 5kg of beans, 5kg of maize flour and four packets of pasta.