The One Childhood, One Chance Alliance – made up of Save the Children, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), UNICEF, Action Against Hunger, ALIMA, The ELMA Relief Foundation and others – aims to reach at least five million children in fragile contexts with life-saving nutrition treatment and services.
LONDON, 4 June - Donors and aid organisations including Save the Children have announced a commitment of USD $500 million today to ramp up the fight against child malnutrition in the world’s biggest humanitarian hotspots.
The One Childhood, One Chance Alliance – made up of Save the Children, the Children’s Investment Fund Foundation (CIFF), the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Global Initiatives (MBRGI), UNICEF, Action Against Hunger, ALIMA, The ELMA Relief Foundation and others – aims to reach at least five million children in fragile contexts with life-saving nutrition treatment and services.
At any given time, over 42 million children globally are suffering from acute malnutrition, threatening their lives and lifelong growth. A significant share of the world’s acutely malnourished children live in fragile and humanitarian contexts, where conflict, instability and shocks drive the most severe risks. The need for this coalition has been further emphasised by the current context, with another global food crisis appearing increasingly inevitable and economic volatilities testing the resilience of countries around the world.
The formation of this alliance builds on decades of experience across its partners in tackling child malnutrition. Among them, CIFF has recently enhanced its focus on delivery of nutrition services in crisis-hit settings with an initial over $40 million investment in 2025. This experience, alongside other key funders, underpins this alliance with new commitments to drive urgent coordinated action in this sector along with key delivery partners.
The alliance will focus on expanding both prevention and treatment of malnutrition, while integrating with other essential health services like malaria treatment, immunisations and water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) where possible to ensure a comprehensive life-saving package for children in need in highest need geographies across Africa, Asia and the Middle East. This work will be implemented by UNICEF, Action Against Hunger, ALIMA, Save the Children and others, and delivered in partnership with governments and local organisations.
While these initial surge commitments will provide immediate relief, the scale of the need is much bigger, and significant and sustained funding is needed for humanitarian nutrition. Estimates indicate that at least $1 billion is needed per year to treat malnutrition across the most vulnerable communities in the 15 most affected humanitarian countries, and an additional $1 billion to effectively prevent malnutrition and ensure food security. The Alliance welcomes new funding and implementing partners with the aim of mobilizing over $1 billion to reach children in need.
Anna Hakobyan, Executive Director Nutrition and Chief Impact Officer at CIFF, said: “Rising fuel prices, the fertiliser shortage affecting planting season, and the prospect of a severe El Niño will have a profound impact in humanitarian settings, with children most likely to suffer. This timely Alliance proves that public, private and implementing partners can unite to accelerate action. Together, we must build a future where no child is forgotten in a crisis, and longer-term investments in country and community resilience are prioritised.”
Ibrahim AlBalooshi, Director of Sustainability and Partnership, MBRGI, said: “Building on the success of our Edge of Life campaign, which raised significant resources to rescue five million children from hunger, we are proud to be a part of this global effort with CIFF and other partners.”
Catherine Russell, Executive Director of UNICEF, said “No child should die from malnutrition. Yet millions of children living in conflict and humanitarian settings lack access to life-saving nutrition services. This Alliance reflects a shared commitment to act fast and at scale to protect children’s lives and futures.”
Jean-Michel Grand, Executive Director of Action Against Hunger, said: “Acute malnutrition is both preventable and treatable, yet millions of children in crisis settings still don’t receive the care they need. The Alliance gives us the resources to collectively go further and faster. Together, we can ensure that no child misses out on life-saving nutrition treatment simply because of where they were born.”
Dr. Moumouni Kinda, Chief Executive Officer of ALIMA, said: “For ALIMA’s medical teams working on the front line alongside patients every day and treating children suffering from acute malnutrition, including in its most severe form, this is a decisive shift. The CIFF-led Alliance is a game changer: it will enable millions of the most vulnerable children to access advanced nutrition services and, in many cases, save their lives. At a time of historic cuts to humanitarian funding, this collective commitment is one of the strongest responses we have today. We must now go further: more donors need to join this effort to reach and save more children.”
Moazzam Malik, Chief Executive Officer, Save the Children UK: “This Alliance means millions of children will now be able to access lifesaving treatment, helping them recover, protecting their futures, and providing reassurance to their mothers and families in some of the world’s most difficult contexts. It will reinforce Save the Children’s broader effort to prevent malnutrition before it takes hold.”
Rasa Izadnegahdar, Director, Maternal, Newborn, Child Nutrition and Health, Gates Foundation, said: “Good nutrition is a cornerstone of health and wellbeing. Our commitment through the Child Nutrition Fund supports a collective goal to expand access to lifesaving nutrition solutions and ensure every mother, baby, and child has the chance not just to survive, but to thrive.”
Robyn Calder, President, ELMA Philanthropies, said: "ELMA is proud to be part of this alliance and help catalyse action for children who need it most. Philanthropic investment cannot replace or fill the gaps left by cuts to foreign aid, but stepping up is a moral imperative for all of us."
