Ho wins $ 10,000 Coca-Cola water grant

The Coca-Cola Company celebrates Ho in the Volta Region as the 2016 Winner of the Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge, a competition that awards acceleration funding to sustain and expand initiatives led by members of the World Economic Forum’s Global Shapers Community.

The Ho Hub of the Global Shapers Community will receive a $10,000 grant for its water purification project.

The funding from Coca-Cola will accelerate the project’s work to enhance access to clean water by developing new wells, distributing water storage tanks and installing water dispensers.

The initiative will have a positive impact on community health and well-being in Ho.

 the newly created water access will help reduce the risk of water-borne illnesses and diseases due to poor sanitation and will also reduce the time and labour intensive process of fetching water from far away water sources which negatively impacts children’s ability to attend school. 

Mr Alan Akakpo of the Ho Global Shapers Hub said, “The Ho Hub is excited to have been selected to scale up its local impact. Thanks to Coca-Cola’s support, we will deepen our collaboration with various stakeholders to accelerate access to sustainable, clean and safe water using locally-designed technology and civic education in Ho.”

Mr Peter Njonjo, President, Coca-Cola West Africa, said, “It is exciting to see young people demonstrate active interest and resourcefulness in developing innovative solutions for the challenges faced by our communities in Africa.

This growing trend of social entrepreneurship is supported by The Coca-Cola Company in many ways and I am particularly proud that two Global Shapers Hubs in West Africa – Ho, Ghana and Uyo, Nigeria – were selected as the 2016 winners of the Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge.”

The Ho Ghana Global Shapers initiative, “Water Purification Project”, won the popular vote of members of the Global Shapers Community as a Shaping a Better Future finalist and was selected as a winner by a high-level panel of judges comprising leaders from the public and the private sectors. 

The Coca-Cola Shaping a Better Future Grant Challenge received over 100 project submissions this year from Global Shapers hubs around the world.

 Global Shapers Community

The Global Shapers Community is a network of hubs developed and led by young people who are exceptional in their potential, achievements and drive to make a contribution to their communities.

It is an initiative of the World Economic Forum.

 World Economic Forum

The World Economic Forum, committed to improving the state of the world, is the international organisation for public-private cooperation. It engages the foremost political, business and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. (www.weforum.org).

 Coca-Cola

The Coca-Cola Company  is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands and more than 3,800 beverage choices.

Led by Coca-Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognisable brands, the company’s portfolio features $20-billion brands, 18 of which are available in reduced-, low- or no-calorie options.

The billion-dollar brands include Diet Coke, Coca-Cola Zero, Fanta, Sprite, Dasani, vitaminwater, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Del Valle, Georgia and Gold Peak.