On March 22, Coca-Cola, in partnership with Refriango and ForAfrika, delivered a water pump that will benefit 3,000 residents of the Bocoio municipality in Benguela province. The initiative marked World Water Day and aims to improve access to and sustainable use of this vital resource in the community.
Bocoio, March 24, 2023 – On World Water Day, which was celebrated on March 22, the population of Embandi, a community 40 km from the Bocoio municipal headquarters in Benguela province, regained access to clean water from the well at the recently renovated primary school serving the community.
The rehabilitation of the water pump, installed by the NGO ForAfrika, was funded by Coca-Cola through its Africa Sustainability platform, JAMII, as part of its water management efforts, which remain a core pillar of the company's corporate social responsibility policy. Over 3,000 residents of Embandi will benefit from this initiative.
At a cost of 5 million kwanzas, the rehabilitation of the infrastructure marks the first step of the WASH program partnership in Bocoio. This project by ForAfrika and Coca-Cola will also focus on raising awareness among the population about the rational and sustainable use of water, as well as organizing actions related to sanitation, hygiene, well-being, and community development.
According to Zeferino Tchikeva Miapia, the local chief of Embandi, “The rehabilitated hand pump will prevent the spread of diseases within the population, who previously had to use water from unsafe and unprotected sources.” Chief Miapia further explained that, to access the unregulated rainwater collection basins known as chimpacas, “people had to wake up early and travel long distances while carrying heavy loads.” The chief expressed gratitude to ForAfrika and Coca-Cola for their support, calling it “crucial for maintaining the hygiene and health of the community.”
ForAfrika, the largest African NGO, works to create a prosperous Africa and has carried out extensive work in Angola. At the inauguration of the water pump in Bocoio, Célio Njinga, National Director of ForAfrika, emphasized, “This infrastructure adds to the 337 water pumps that the organization installed last year in the provinces of Benguela and Cuanza-Sul.”
“We are Africans working for a prosperous Africa. We know our challenges and the best way to overcome them. With local knowledge and in partnership with communities, we remove barriers and design programs that lead to the transformation of our continent. We believe in the prosperity of Africans, and it is with actions like today’s here in Bocoio that we are building the Africa we want, step by step.”
Paula Lima, Senior Marketing Manager at Coca-Cola Angola, stated that through this initiative, the multinational “advances solutions that provide and ensure safe drinking water to communities in Angola, especially in Bocoio. The Coca-Cola system in Africa has been a leader in water management for over a decade. Our global vision for ensuring water security for all applies to our businesses as well as the communities and environments in which we operate. We provide ingredients and touch the lives of people.”
“Through JAMII, we aim to help improve access to drinking water and protect our natural water resources by forming meaningful partnerships between the government, the private sector, NGOs, and local communities in Angola,” she added.
Tânia Jardim, Marketing Director at Refriango, the company that produces and distributes Coca-Cola’s brands in Angola, commented, “Improving lives and protecting the environment is Coca-Cola’s commitment worldwide, and in Angola, it is no different.” According to Jardim, “In addition to the program with ForAfrika, the partnership with Coca-Cola has enabled Refriango to accelerate its sustainability projects and, together, amplify the impact on communities, focusing on water management, waste management, and economic empowerment of women and youth.”
“In recent months, we have developed projects with local partners such as the Nação Verde Association, EcoAngola, and UNESCO, where we have promoted actions including beach clean-ups, environmental education and awareness in schools and communities, and encouraging the circular economy.”
“This program has also enabled the installation of eight recycling points in Luanda earlier this year, which will boost the recycling and reuse of materials such as paper, cardboard, glass, and PET plastic,” she concluded.
