This year’s International Women’s Day which was marked on 8th March highlighted the private sector’s crucial role in advancing the economic inclusion of women in Africa.
For the benefit of positive change on the African continent, Coca-Cola Beverages Africa (CCBA) leverages its leadership position in the sector.
“We understand that our business can only thrive when the communities we serve thrive too. This is why we have made economic inclusion of women one of the pillars of our sustainability strategy,” says James Bowmaker, Managing Director at CCBA in Kenya.
Women’s access to greater possibilities can be facilitated by improving their business knowledge and skills across our value chain.
Among the pillar projects initiated by CCBA to support women economic empowerment in Africa includes the Mwanamke Shujaa in Tanzania which means (“A Brave Woman”), which provides training and mentorship to female food vendors as well as tools of the trade to enable them to grow their businesses.
Training covered key areas like bookkeeping, customer care, stress management, and capital growth.
The Women in Engineering trainee programme in Ethiopia has attracted female engineering students from Ethiopia and helps them further their careers by providing them with exposure to the company’s top-notch operations and development prospects.
Through their partnership in Ghana with Girls in Science and Technology (GIST), CCBA subsidiary Voltic aims to reach women at different levels of education, providing them with the mentorship and coaching they need for a successful and impactful science, technology, engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) career.
In South Africa, the Company has established a bursary fund at the University of Pretoria to support female students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds in their final year of engineering studies.
In Mozambique, a group of women plastic waste collectors completed a 12-week training course in an economic inclusion programme supported by CCBA.
These women have since educated their communities about the positive effects of recycling.
“We will continue to focus on creating a better shared future to grow and sustain small businesses and enhance livelihoods, resulting in increased economic value and business capability for women, communities, and our business system, says Bowmaker.
