Addis Ababa, 12 April 2013:
As part of The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation’s commitment to helping create sustainable communities, it announced today the launch of Replenish Africa Initiative’s (RAIN) Multiple Use Water Improvements project.
“At Coca-Cola, we recognize that by strengthening the communities we serve, we strengthen our business. We know that providing water access is an effective way of expanding social and economic opportunities for our communities. As part of our Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) we collaborate with partners from civil society and government to improve the access, sustainability and affordability of safe water in our communities,” said Peter Njonjo, Coca-Cola General Manager for Eastern Africa.
The program will support water supply improvements and multiple uses of water (MUS); improve water access, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) in schools, institutions, and households; and empower women through water-related entrepreneurship, in seven rural woredas of three Ethiopian regions.
Funded by The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation in partnership with Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (CNHF) and Millennium Water Alliance (MWA), Catholic Relief Services (CRS), Water Aid and World Vision, this year-long project is expected to benefit 73,400 rural citizens, including 22,000 school children living in various regions of Ethiopia.
Millennium Water Alliance’s Executive Director, Mr. Rafael Callejas, hopes to harness the momentum surrounding clean water efforts by launching the project during the UN’s International Year of Water Cooperation.
“It is especially exciting to launch this program in 2013, the UN International Year of Water Cooperation. Funded by The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation and implemented in collaboration with MWA and its members this program links the strengths and capacities of government, civil society, the private sector and local communities to improve access to clean water and livelihoods in rural Ethiopia,” said Mr. Callejas.
The project is expected to leverage Millennium Water Alliance’s 13 million USD Conrad N. Hilton Foundation (CNHF) program, which is currently being implemented in 25 Woredas in 4 regions by deepening CNHF’s WASH interventions in three critical areas: improvements in multiple uses of water (MUS), water access, sanitation and hygiene (WASH) coverage in schools and health clinics and women’s empowerment through water‐related entrepreneurship.
About RAIN
In 2009, The Coca-Cola Company announced a six-year, $30 million commitment to provide access to safe drinking water to African communities through RAIN. As the flagship initiative of The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF) and in partnership with other donors, RAIN will provide at least 2 million Africans with access to clean water by 2015.
Grant period: 2010-2015 (6 years)
Program Description: RAIN supports a wide range of water-related projects in response to Africa’s significant challenges in meeting the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) on water. Projects are designed to meet specific community needs including water supply, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); productive use of water; and watershed protection.
Implementation: RAIN currently supports 45 projects in 28 countries across the African continent and will launch over 100 water programs across Africa by 2015.
About The Coca Cola Africa Foundation
Any good we secure for ourselves is uncertain until it is secured for us all. This is the fundamental belief of The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation, which exists primarily to invest in corporate social investment projects that help to create sustainable communities so that this dream of a common future can be realized.
The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation was established in 2001 as an African community foundation in response to the growth and impact of the HIV pandemic. In 2002, The Foundation and Africa-based Coca-Cola bottlers established the most extensive employee healthcare program for HIV/AIDS and related conditions in Africa.
Once The Coca-Cola System successfully funded the workplace HIV/AIDS programs, The Foundation redirected its HIV efforts to solely fund prevention and awareness services for communities.
As part of its mission to strengthen and empower African communities, The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation also formed partnerships with local grassroots and international non-governmental organizations to deliver HIV/AIDS education and prevention.
The Foundation’s community activities focus on four key areas central to life in Africa: water, health, education and entrepreneurship. By providing assistance in the most critical areas of need, we strive to improve the quality of life for communities in Africa and expand the opportunities for those who live there.
Additionally, The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation is involved in humanitarian assistance in Africa, for disaster relief and emergency assistance.