MALAWI/MOZAMBIQUE – Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) and The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF), the global philanthropic arm of The Coca-Cola Company, have offered emergency relief funding to citizens affected by cyclone Freddy in Malawi and Mozambique.
The cyclone, which lasted over five weeks and impacted Mozambique twice, left in its wake a trail of destruction and, sadly, claimed hundreds of lives.
The Coca-Cola Foundation (TCCF) has donated the sum of $200,000 to CARE International, an international humanitarian agency, to urgently support local efforts to mitigate the impact of Cyclone Freddy on citizens in Malawi and Mozambique.
This emergency relief funding from TCCF complements the efforts of CCBA, which has contributed about US$64,000 in emergency relief supplies to affected communities in both countries.
In Mozambique, CCBA donated essential goods consisting of non-perishable including rice, corn, beans, sugar, and oil, bottled drinking water, mosquito nets, and water filters as well as other products to communities in need.
Its employees mobilized themselves to support the communities with clothing and cash donations. In Malawi, CCBA assisted through donations of drinking water, food, blankets, and shelter supplies.
Speaking on disaster relief support, Saadia Madsbjerg, President of The Coca-Cola Foundation, said: “We remain committed to making a difference in communities, particularly during challenging times like these.”
“By leveraging the expertise and generosity of our partners and key stakeholders, we are working together to protect the lives and livelihoods of those who have been impacted by this unfortunate event. The devastation left by Cyclone Freddy has created an urgent need for aid in the affected areas, and we are honored to contribute to efforts that address the pressing needs.”
Seutloadi Thaanyane, General Manager of CCBA in Malawi, said the support provided by both CCBA and The Coca-Cola Foundation would go a long way in helping communities to get back on their feet.
CARE will distribute cholera and hygiene kits in the districts of Govuro, Mabote, and Inhassoro in Mozambique’s northern Inhambane Province, where access to potable water is extremely limited and the risk of cholera infection is on the rise.
The kits include materials for complete surface disinfection, which reduces cholera transmission, water purification tablets, and oral rehydration solution.
In Malawi, CARE will support the efforts to mitigate the imminent food crises affecting residents in the Machinga district, particularly in the Traditional Areas (TAs) of Mchinguza and Mlomba.
This will be done through cash transfers to 2,500 households living in displacement camps to cater to the food needs of those who were forced to abandon their homes.
About 20,000 critically impacted people in both countries will receive much-needed support from this intervention exercise.
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