Five Cities to Receive Acceleration Funding
The Coca-Cola Company today announced the 2015 winners of the Coca-Cola
Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge – a competition exclusively for
members of the World Economic Forum’s Global
Shapers Community. Global Shapers are young leaders between 20 and
30 years old who are organized into a network of nearly 500 city-based
hubs. For the competition, Global Shapers launch projects that address
the world’s most challenging issues, with the opportunity to win seed
money to expand their initiatives.
This year’s Grand Prize Winner from Kathmandu, Nepal will receive a
$20,000 grant for its “Nepal Earthquake Relief Project.”
In the aftermath of the devastating 2015 earthquake in Nepal, the rural
area of Sindhupalchowk was left with only one functioning health post to
serve an estimated 40,000 villagers in the region. The Global Shapers
took swift action in organizing a collaborative earthquake relief effort
to rebuild this important community resource. With their acceleration
funding from Coca-Cola, the Sindhupalchowk Health Post will become the
first fully operational health post in post-earthquake Nepal.
Furthermore, they will install new medical equipment, train additional
medical personnel, and implement clean water and sanitation community
education programs in the region.
“Three years ago we founded the ‘Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant
Challenge’ because the most powerful thing we can do for self-starting
young people is to help bring their innovative, solutions oriented
projects to scale,” said Clyde Tuggle, Chief Public Affairs and
Communications Officer, The Coca-Cola Company. “Being a change agent has
no age limit, and we are proud to partner with the Global Shapers
Community.”
Adrian Monck, Head of Public Engagement and Foundations at the World
Economic Forum, said, “The Coca-Cola Company’s Partnership with the
Global Shapers Community is helping Global Shapers to make a lasting
impact. The Global Shapers have passion, dynamism and an entrepreneurial
spirit, and together with our partners, we hope to improve the state of
the world, one city at a time.”
The Coca-Cola Company has also awarded four $10,000 grants for the
following projects:
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Cartagena, Colombia: Increasing the community’s access to clean
drinking water. The “Water for Life” project is distributing water
filters that are portable and require no electricity to function to
at-risk communities in the region.
-
Chandigarh, India: Addressing gender-based violence in India.
The “I Break My Silence” project creates an ecosystem of community
based education and awareness programming to create safer environments
for women.
-
Gaza, Palestine: Installing solar lighting systems in
rehabilitation centers for the disabled. The “Solar Power Lighting
Disabled Lives” project ensures consistent access to the center’s
therapeutic services for this high-need community during power outages
in the area.
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Geneva, Switzerland: Increasing access to educational materials
through the distribution of repurposed solar powered e-devices, such
as e-book readers, laptops and MP3-players. The “Reading 4 Change”
project reduces e-waste, while simultaneously helping those in need.
About the Global Shapers Community
The Global Shapers Community is a network of hubs developed and led by
young people who are exceptional in their potential, their achievements
and their drive to make a contribution to their communities.
About the World Economic Forum
The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world,
is the International Organization for Public-Private Cooperation. The
Forum engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of
society to shape global, regional and industry agendas.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage
company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still
brands. Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and
recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 20 billion-dollar
brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite,Coca-Cola Zero, vitaminwater,
Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle. Globally, we are
the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and
juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage
distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our
beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day. With an enduring
commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused
on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active,
healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our
associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities
where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the
world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system
associates. For more information, visit Coca-Cola Journey at www.cocacolacompany.com,
follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo,
visit our blog, Coca-Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or
find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.
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