South Africa: Coca-Cola grant to provide better water supply for 100 schools

On 10 September 2010, Coca-Cola South Africa, The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation and the South African Department of Basic Education announced a new initiative that will provide 100 schools across South Africa with water, sanitation, and hygiene education (WASH). The US$ 4.3 million RAIN Water for Schools (RWS) project will benefit at least 80,000 students.

The project is already underway, with nine schools already receiving integrated WASH interventions. The remaining 91 schools will be served over the next two years, through the coordination of South African NGO Mvula Trust. Re-Solve Consulting (Pty) Ltd. carried out interventions in the first 9 schools.

H2O for Life, an American NGO, will be coordinating a school-to-school service-learning activity to allow
learners in the United States to learn about water issues and raise funds to support WASH interventions at schools identified by RWS.

RAIN Water for Schools forms part of Coca Cola’s US$ 30-million Replenish Africa Initiative, which aims to provide potable water to over 2 million people in Africa by 2015.

During the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa, Coca Cola has pledged to donate funds to support WASH in schools across Africa for every goal celebration during the tournament. 145 goals were scored raising a total of R2.2 Million (US$ 319,000) from the campaign.

The Department of Basic Education has committed to ensuring a “safe, sustainable supply of drinking water and sanitation” at every school across the country by 2014 as part of its Schooling 2025 Plan launched in May 2010.

There are currently more than 450 schools lacking basic water and sanitation facilities in South Africa, according to the Department of Basic Education.

Source: Global Water Challenge, 22 Sep 2010 ; Bongani Nkosi, MediaClubSouthAfrica.com, 10 Sep 2010

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