Posted on August 16, 2011

Coca-Cola Pledges $1.4 Million for Horn of Africa Hunger Relief

The Coca-Cola Foundation, the company's East and West Africa business units, and its regional bottling partners have announced a $1.4 million grant to provide food, water, sanitation, and healthcare services in Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia.

The grant includes more than $1 million to the American Red Cross from the Coca-Cola Foundation in support of Red Cross and Red Crescent partners operating in the region, where, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, some twelve million people are in need of emergency humanitarian assistance. To be administered by the Kenya Red Cross Society, the Ethiopian Red Cross Society, and the Somali Red Crescent Society, the funds will be used for immediate trucking of water to affected regions and to provide communities with food and critical medicines.

A significant portion of the grant will be earmarked for Kenya, which is grappling with the twin challenges of its own food shortages and refugee flows from its neighbor, Somalia. While commending Kenya's private and public sectors for their contributions to ongoing humanitarian efforts, Coca-Cola president for Central, East, and West Africa Nathan Kalumbu called on governments, civil society, and private sector organizations to continue thinking about long-term solutions to regional challenges.

"As a business with operations spanning across the Horn of Africa, we and our bottling partners strongly believe that the scale and magnitude of this crisis demands collaborative effort from all," said Kalumbu. "Our values and culture have always stressed a responsibility to engage with communities. We recognize that to have a sustainable business, the communities we serve must be sustainable, and we believe we have a role to play in making this happen."