The UAE’s food industry is rallying to support emergency relief efforts in Pakistan as the country faces its worst flooding in recent history.
On Friday, talabat launched its partnership with the World Food Programme to deliver food assistance to those affected in the country. Customers are able to donate directly through the delivery app, and talabat has pledged to match all customer donations made towards the cause until Sunday.
The World Food Programme is on the ground in Pakistan helping to supply meals to 1.9 million people affected by the floods, however, it says it needs to raise more than $152 million to meet demands.
Customers can donate through the Give Back section of the app by selecting any of the dedicated menu items on the World Food Programme option, ranging from Dh2 for a one-day meal donation to a monthly donation of Dh63. All funds raised will be donated to the organisation’s emergency response operation to support the affected families.
“Our hearts go out to everyone affected by this tragedy in Pakistan,” Tatiana Rahal, managing director of talabat UAE said. “It is a catastrophic natural disaster. We’re humbled to be in a position where we can utilise our tech for good and be able to offer immediate support towards flood relief efforts by connecting customers to trusted international humanitarian organisations such as the World Food Programme.
“Giving back to the community is a big part of our ethos and we’re glad to be able to do our part by matching donations to further support this cause.”
The move follows a campaign launched by Deliveroo earlier this month to support Pakistani flood victims. Together with Emirates Red Crescent, the food delivery app launched the One Hand for Pakistan crisis relief initiative, allowing customers to make donations through a dedicated page.
Users are able to donate from Dh20 to Dh500 until October 12, with all funds raised going directly to Emirates Red Crescent to help families in Pakistan.
Mohammed Ahmad Al Yammahi of Emirates Red Crescent, said: “Having a page dedicated to ‘One Hand for Pakistan’ on the Deliveroo app is a great opportunity for customers in the UAE to do their part with the click of a button.
“With the help of Deliveroo, we hope to continue raising awareness for this cause and look forward to bringing the UAE community together to contribute to flood relief efforts for Pakistan.”
This weekend, Dubai restaurant Mama Rama will also be hosting a series of special brunches and dinners in partnership with Moreish by K, with proceeds being donated to organisations supporting flood relief efforts, including Emirates Red Crescent.
On both Saturday and Sunday, there will be a brunch between midday and 4pm, and a dinner from 7pm onwards, priced at Dh195 per person. The south Asian canteen will also be collecting donations across the weekend.
