Some 2,000 basic school pupils in the Ashanti, Eastern and Greater Accra regions have been targeted by leading beverage company, Voltic Ghana Limited to benefit from its flagship “Water for Schools Project”.
The maiden edition was launched in partnership with the Jaldhaara Foundation on Tuesday at the Ayeduase Roman Catholic Basic School in the Ashanti region.
Voltic Ghana with its corporate social responsibilities and sustainability priorities is focusing on three major initiatives known as the “3WS”. The 3WS represent Women Empowerment, Water Stewardship and Waste Management.
Reports that span across several schools indicate that children usually miss classes or get distracted because of thirst and the subsequent search of water to quench that thirst.
Speaking to Ultimate Business’ Patricia Ama Bonsu at the launch, Managing Director of Voltic Ghana Limited, Francois Gazania mentioned that the company is poised to provide and improve access to quality, safe and potable water to deprived schools and communities.
“For us at Voltic, it is very critical to focus on water and to ensure that the water is safe and clean for the students, so that they can learn and develop.”
Voltic Ghana’s investment of $20,000 into the Water for Schools Project is also in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 6, which is to ensure access to clean water and sanitation for all people.
Mr. Gazania moreover added that “Voltic as a business is very proud to quench the physical thirst of these little ones, even as they thirst for academic excellence, refreshed and only focused on being the best they can be.”
He also hinted of a scale-up plan which could include more school pupils involved from the current 2,000, possibly in the next academic year.
“The motivation behind the figure is that, this is the first year that we’re doing this programme and so we decided to choose five schools which represents 2,000 students.”
“If it works, next year we’ll be able to carry on and support these kinds of programmes. For now it is schools we’re concentrating on, but we have some programmes with communities”, the Voltic Ghana MD mentioned.
The 330 basic school pupils who are at the kindergarten level to primary 6 at the Ayeduase R/C Basic School also received a donation of exercise books to support their classroom work.
Jaldhaara Foundation’s Nana Fredua Mensah on his part, was delighted about Voltic’s partnership and their belief in his outfit’s mission to quench the thirst of a larger majority.
He stated that “Jaldhaara is a social sector organisation that works to provide safe drinking water to schools and communities.”
“We approached the school’s headmistress who gave us the indication that there is no good water for the school children while in school. We approached Voltic as well and today we see the fruition of this partnership. Today’s event is like a pilot project.”
Furthermore the traditional leadership and the authorities at the Ayeduase Roman Catholic Basic School expressed their utmost appreciation to Voltic Ghana Limited and Jaldhaara Foundation for identifying them as a needy community in terms of water and actually supplying their wards with safe, quality water.
The additional schools earmarked to benefit from this Water for Schools Project include the Suhum M/A Basic School, Nsawam M/A Basic School, S.D.A Basic School and the Medie M/A Basic School.
Voltic Ghana widely known for refreshing consumers with trusted brands in the past 23 years, assures it will continue to collaborate with other organizations in finding sustainable ways to promote the livelihoods of its customers, distributors and employees whiles championing its 3WS initiative.
In attendance too at the Water for Schools Project launch, were other Voltic Ghana officials including Country Sales and Marketing Manager, Raymond Mensah Gbetivi, Northern Sector Manager, Patrick Asumang Yeboah and Public Affairs and Communications Manager, Joyce Ahiadorme.
Source: Ghana/Starrfmonline.com/103.5FM/Patricia Ama Bonsu
