Luanda, February 21, 2024 – Coca-Cola in Angola and Refriango, in collaboration with the Piaget Institute of Angola (AIPA), today launched the first of three water boreholes as part of the OMAZA Project at the Calumbo Market in the municipality of Viana. This project aims to improve the community's access to drinking water, sanitation, and hygiene, while also equipping the population, especially women and youth, with tools to overcome water-related challenges.
The borehole inaugurated today at the Calumbo Market is the first of three water wells that the OMAZA project will donate to the communities. These water boreholes have the capacity to produce up to 24,000 liters of water per day, totaling an annual volume of 8.76 million liters. These boreholes will directly impact more than 1,500 families in the area and surrounding neighborhoods. The majority of the beneficiaries (60%) are young women or teenagers.
Through OMAZA, Coca-Cola in Angola is investing 100,000 dollars in equipment that, together, will provide more than 26 million liters of water per year. The project will have a significant impact on increasing the resilience of climate-vulnerable communities by improving their capacity to manage water, sanitation, and hygiene systems, while empowering communities and raising awareness on the effective use of this vital resource.
Present at the inauguration of the borehole at Calumbo Market, Paula Lima Matoso, Marketing Director of Coca-Cola Africa in Angola, commented: “Our partnership with AIPA in the OMAZA project is vital for building sustainable communities through access to clean water and sanitation. Additionally, this partnership aligns with our strategy to achieve 100% circular or regenerative water use in places like Angola by 2030."
“Together with Refriango and AIPA, we are very pleased to inaugurate the first of three boreholes as part of this high-impact initiative,” she added.
For her part, Tânia Jardim, Marketing Manager of Refriango, noted: “Sustainable access to clean water is a key priority for Refriango. We are working to achieve regenerative water use by reducing, reusing, recycling, and replenishing the water used to produce our beverages. The OMAZA project supports, within its scope, the creation of basic infrastructure in Luanda, led by the Angolan government. At the same time, it aims to contribute to Angola’s achievement of the ambitious Sustainable Development Goals 2, 4, 6, and 10 of the 2030 United Nations Agenda, regarding access to clean water, improved nutrition, promotion of sustainable agriculture, reduction of inequalities, and promotion of continuous learning opportunities in communities. We are proud to contribute to improving water accessibility in key communities, together with AIPA.”
Ana Pérez, General Coordinator of the OMAZA Project, highlighted the importance of the initiative, stating: “In a changing climate, countries like Angola face several climate threats. The primary one is the deterioration of water security for communities and the environment in general. It is evident that promoting water and sanitation security is vital for creating a more sustainable Angola, one that considers conservation and resilience as integral elements.”
“The water borehole we just inaugurated is a crucial step in achieving our sustainability goals, and we are grateful to the Coca-Cola System in Angola and Refriango for making it possible,” she added.
The OMAZA Project aligns with The Coca-Cola Company's Water Security Strategy 2030, focused on accelerating actions to increase water security in the places where it operates and sources its ingredients, positively impacting people's lives.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is a beverage company with products sold in more than 200 countries and territories. The company’s purpose is to refresh the world and make a difference. We sell several billion-dollar brands across multiple beverage categories worldwide. Our carbonated beverage brands include Coca-Cola, Sprite, and Fanta. Our water, sports, coffee, and tea brands include Dasani, smartwater, vitaminwater, Topo Chico, BODYARMOR, Powerade, Costa, Georgia, Gold Peak, and Ayataka. Our juice, dairy, and plant-based beverage brands include Minute Maid, Simply, innocent, Del Valle, fairlife, and AdeS. We are constantly transforming our portfolio, from reducing sugar in our beverages to launching new, innovative products into the market. We aim to positively impact people’s lives, communities, and the planet through water replenishment, packaging recycling, sustainable sourcing practices, and carbon emissions reductions across our entire value chain. Along with our bottling partners, we employ over 700,000 people, helping to create economic opportunities for local communities worldwide. Learn more at www.coca-colacompany.com and follow us on Instagram, Facebook, and LinkedIn.
