Accelerating efforts to eliminate neglected tropical diseases, taking on underfunded challenges affecting vulnerable communities, supporting the fight to end polio, and seeding new research, innovations, and technologies to improve lives and livelihoods globally.
These are some of the programmes of the newly-formed Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity, an Abu Dhabi-based philanthropy that will operate under the umbrella of the recently-unveiled Erth Zayed Philanthropies, which oversees the strategic direction of charitable efforts associated with the nation’s leadership.
Established by decree on Zayed Humanitarian Day, observed annually on the 19th of Ramadan to commemorate the legacy of the late Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan in humanitarian and charitable work, the new foundation will scale the work of Reaching the Last Mile (RLM) which previously oversaw the global health philanthropy of Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the president of the UAE.
Over the next five years, the new foundation aims to reach more than 500 million people across some 50 countries, spanning Asia, Africa, and the Middle East.
“The Mohamed bin Zayed Foundation for Humanity reflects the UAE’s determination to build a more equitable world by catalysing innovation, seeking out new solutions, and building partnerships that can uplift and enable communities worldwide,” said Sheikh Theyab bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
“The foundation is a new chapter in this legacy of progress, representing a further commitment to delivering sustainable change where it is needed most," he added.
Meanwhile, Bill Gates, chair of the Gates Foundation, which has partnered with RLM on several health-related philanthropic projects, said: “Sheikh Mohamed Bin Zayed Al Nahyan and the UAE have long been champions in the fight to diseases like polio, malaria, and neglected tropical diseases. "This new effort builds on that legacy and will help millions of the world’s most vulnerable people live healthier, more productive lives.”
