Few of us have not been affected by the cost-of-living crisis.
While many have had to make cutbacks, most have managed to keep going with some minor alterations to our lifestyles.
However, some of the more vulnerable sectors of society have not been quite so lucky.
One company that is lending a helping hand is Food ATM in Ajman, which provides Dh3 meals for those on low incomes.
“The cost of food has increased so much in recent years and we want to be able to help those whose salaries have not increased in that time,” said Ayesha Khan, founder of Food ATM.
“Food is a basic human right and need. Because we are based in industrial areas a lot of our footfall is from labourers.
“It is not just labourers we are helping, though. It is people from all walks of life who are in the lower salary bracket.”
The company provides Dh3 meals in places including Sharjah and Ras Al Khaimah.
When the project started in 2019, it was providing 6,000 meals a day. Now that number has risen to 50,000, said Ms Khan, an engineer who moved to the UAE in 2006.
Initially, she was working in the telecoms sector, while cooking and distributing meals to cleaners and workers in her building.
This sparked her journey as an entrepreneur, leading to her starting Food ATM.
“Our capacity is 50,000 meals per day. We have companies come and buy the food from us,” said Ms Khan.
“Hunger is the scariest thing for humans. Food security is achievable in the world if everybody plays a role, though.”
The company has regularly bought food that was nearing its expiry date including rice, oil, spices, vegetables and meat.
However, rising food costs meant she had to be creative with the ingredients, to ensure the meals remained at Dh3.
“Last year, cooking oil prices increased but we had 25 tonnes of cheese,” she said.
“We dissolved it and used it as butter to cook instead.”
Other ingredients used to keep costs down are spinach, red kidney beans and green peas due to the increased costs of onions, garlic, ginger and tomatoes.
The National joined her as she loaded a lorry with 1,000 meals, which she, along with her team, distributed to workers in Al Sajaa Labour Park during iftar on Wednesday night.
“We distribute 1,000 free meals in the park each night and 350 free meals in other areas,” she said.
The nightly distribution of free meals during Ramadan has been a vital lifeline for many labourers on low salaries.
Naser Al Islam, a 27-year-old construction worker from Bangladesh, said: “My salary is Dh1,350 per month. I come every day to the labour park with my colleagues to have free iftar meals.
“It's a nice atmosphere as I break my fasting with others.
“With my salary, I can’t afford to buy expensive meals but this company sell the meals for Dh3 and it’s affordable for me.”
Jalal Al Deen, 38, from Bangladesh, said he came to the UAE 18 months ago to work in construction.
“It’s a good place to come and have a free meal,” he said of the park. "It is a good meal after hours of fasting. I can’t be more thankful."
Mr Al Deen, who earns Dh1,200 per month, said he often arrives an hour early to book a spot and ensure he gets an iftar meal.
“Every day they distribute free meals in the park but they can’t get meals to everybody in the area. They close the gate when the capacity is full and the ones who are late will not get a meal."
John Eyoio, a 49-year-old from Nigeria, sat with colleagues of various nationalities on the ground waiting for the meal. He said: “I come here every year. It’s a good idea and makes us love the UAE even more. People here are friendly, I’m happy."
He said, even when Ramadan finishes, having access to meals for Dh3 will reduce the burden of spending more on food.
“I earn Dh1,500 per month,” he said. "Having cheap meals means I can save more money and send it to my family back home."
Last week, the UAE launched a Ramadan drive to deliver three million meals and food parcels to those most in need, both at home and abroad.
The campaign is being led by the UAE Food Bank throughout the holy month.
Almost one third of all food produced globally ends up being wasted, equivalent to 1.3 billion tonnes, according to statistics from the UN.
In the UAE, the amount of per capita food waste each day is 2.7kg, the UN says.
Food ATM has teamed up with several companies across various sectors, one of which is The Surpluss.
The UAE firm acts as a platform to enable companies to identify and utilise surplus, with the ethos of making a difference in climate change efforts.
Its partnership with Food ATM has enabled Ms Khan’s firm to receive more donations or purchase surplus produce, such as vegetables and pulses, at cheaper bulk rates to increase its reach.
“Many companies think sustainability is complex and expensive,” said Rana Hajirasouli, founder of The Surpluss.
“We hope that by disrupting practices around food waste in this instance, we can help companies become more sustainable and demonstrate the financial benefit, too.
“When they sell their surplus food stock at discounted prices, they can recoup some of their purchase costs. Or by opting to donate it they can reduce their waste management costs – either way, there’s a clear financial case.”
