Emirates Red Crescent launches Dh12.5 million winter campaign for 300,000 people
Emirates Red Crescent has launched a Dh12.5 million winter aid campaign to help more than 300,000 people across 17 countries, with refugees and displaced families among those receiving priority.
The 2026–2027 initiative was launched on November 2 under the directives of Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Ruler’s Representative in Al Dhafra Region and Chairman of the Emirates Red Crescent.
Its launch brought volunteers together at the organisation’s Abu Dhabi headquarters to prepare aid packages, connecting a nationwide culture of giving with the practical work of helping families through the colder months.
Reaching families most exposed to winter hardship
The campaign focuses on communities affected by humanitarian crises, displacement and severe weather. Children, older people, women, and refugee and displaced families will be prioritised.
Ahmed Sari Al Mazrouei, ERC Secretary-General, said the organisation had developed a phased plan to deliver assistance throughout winter, working with relevant authorities and humanitarian partners in the UAE and overseas.
That approach places coordination and timely delivery at the centre of the response. The campaign’s target describes the people it aims to reach over the season, with implementation continuing beyond the initial launch.
Al Mazrouei emphasised that winter intensifies the pressures already facing people affected by crises, making sustained assistance particularly important.
Volunteers prepare aid in Abu Dhabi
At the launch event, ERC board members and employees worked alongside volunteers to assemble winter packages. Participants included teams from Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank, ADNOC and other organisations.
The gathering brought the organisation’s leadership, staff and community partners into the same practical task: preparing assistance for people facing difficult conditions abroad.
Al Mazrouei described the volunteer turnout as an expression of solidarity within UAE society and highlighted charitable work’s contribution to humanitarian initiatives.
The ERC also reaffirmed its intention to expand partnerships and continue relief programmes under Sheikh Hamdan’s direction, supporting cooperation between the organisation and those helping deliver assistance.
Additional winter and medical assistance for Gaza
The new campaign follows a separate Dh50 million winter and medical aid package for Palestinians in Gaza, announced in late October.
That assistance includes winter clothing, blankets, food parcels, shelter tents, medicines and essential medical supplies. It focuses on vulnerable groups, including children, older people and families experiencing acute hardship.
The Gaza effort is being carried out under the directives of President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with coordination by Sheikh Hamdan bin Zayed and through Operation Gallant Knight 3.
Dubai Humanitarian has also established an air bridge carrying winter relief for Gaza. Its first flight transported essential supplies, including thermal blankets, with support from UNICEF, adding another route for assistance as families prepare for colder weather.
A season of growing humanitarian needs
The ERC initiative comes amid wider concern about the demands winter places on displaced communities.
In a separate appeal launched on October 30, UNHCR estimated that at least nine million people across Ukraine, Syria, Lebanon and Afghanistan would require additional support through the season.
The agency highlighted rising food and energy prices, insufficient warm clothing, fuel shortages and makeshift shelters among the pressures facing households. Its response includes blankets, heating support and materials to repair or insulate homes.
These needs show why winter relief involves several forms of assistance at once: protection from the cold, adequate shelter and support for families already managing the consequences of displacement.
