The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation

• working with local and international NGOs to
leverage marketing and communications
expertise in the development of awareness and
prevention programmes
• investing in other HIV/AIDS community efforts in
countries across the continent
The Coca-Cola Company’s support for UNICEF through a
US$200,000 grant over 3 years saw the Foundation and
Company bottlers working with community groups and
non-profit organizations in a battle to slow the spread of
the disease.
A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signed by TCCAF
and UNICEF in Nigeria guaranteed support for local youth
awareness and prevention campaigns. The Coca-Cola
Company has donated billboards carrying President
Obasanjo’s message on HIV/AIDS. The Company has also
donated radio time – “jingles” and distributed educational
materials nationwide.
“The Big Match” was launched on World AIDS Day –
December 1, 2003. “The Big Match” is an Africa-wide
internal employee programme that enables Company
employees to contribute to and participate in the local
HIV/AIDS community initiatives of their choice. The Coca-
Cola Africa Foundation matches the funds raised by
employees up to a maximum of US$500 per annum.
10
The Abidjan-Lagos
corridor initiative
In support of a four-year, World Bank funded
initiative targeting the high risk corridor along the
Lagos-Abidjan travel and transportation route, the
Foundation is donating US$120,000 and is working
with local organisations to support HIV/AIDS
information and education activities, providing
condoms and setting up health services targeting
the transportation business, travellers and people in
the sex trade.
Overall HIV/AIDS prevalence rates are still relatively
low among the five project countries of the Corridor
(Côte-d’Ivoire 10.8%, Ghana 3.6%, Togo 6%, Benin
4.1% and Nigeria 5.1%). However, some of the
14 million people who each year cross the borders
of the five countries, exhibit ‘high risk’ behaviour
– which is a cause for concern. Representatives of
the five project countries have agreed to conceive
and implement, with the support of the World Bank,
a regional HIV/AIDS prevention project targeting the
50 million strong indigenous population, migrants
and the local communities living and working along
the Corridor.
A number of sites will be installed near the borders
for the sale of condoms. Furthermore, articles,
advertising and educative media such as banners,
posters, t-shirts, caps and leaflets will be produced
in English, French and eventually in the main
languages spoken along the Corridor
(Yoruba, Fon, Ewe, Akan).