The Coca-Cola Foundation, in partnership with INJAZ Al-Arab, has kicked off the eighth edition of the program ‘Ripples of Happiness’ (ROH). The initiative aims to inspire university students to identify and implement projects bearing positive impact on their communities, while providing students with guidance and resources.
Throughout the course of ROH, participating teams will attend a number of training sessions aimed at developing their entrepreneurial and business management skills. The program also includes coaching sessions provided by volunteers from the private sector, including from the Coca-Cola Middle East, on financial literacy, work readiness and entrepreneurship skills, in addition to sharing experiences of working in the private sector. As part of the program, each team will create a business plan for its project, which will subsequently be assessed by an independent judging panel. Entries will be evaluated based on feasibility, sustainability and social impact.
“At the Coca-Cola Company, we are committed to sustainability and developing the communities in which we operate. Our partnership with INJAZ Al-Arab has permitted us to reach a larger segment of university students across the region and to prepare the next generation of aspiring entrepreneurs, who are focused on solving the challenges that their communities face,” said Omar Bennis, Director of Communications and Public Affairs at the Coca-Cola Company Middle East.
Six countries, 22 universities and over 360 students across the Middle East have enrolled in ROH program this year. This will give them a chance to have their projects financed with grants totaling USD 22,000 provided by the Coca-Cola Foundation. The first place winner will be awarded USD 10,000 grant, while second and third place winners will receive USD 7,000 and USD 5,000 respectively.
Winning participants of the earlier editions made a device that can be installed on school bus doors to ensure that no children are left behind in the bus, and a project called Zoap, which uses upcycled cooking oil to produce soap.
“Our partnership with the Coca-Cola Foundation has enabled us over the past years, to prepare a business-savvy generation of entrepreneurs who are conscious of the social challenges that face their own communities. The Ripples of Happiness program has facilitated knowledge transfer to the next generation in a fun, yet challenging environment that teaches students to operate their own projects in the future, while still receiving education,” commented Akef Al-Aqrabawi, CEO of INJAZ Al-Arab.
The creatives for the campaign was done by FP7/DXB and media duties handled by UM MENA. The campaign was carried out in UAE, Jordon, Bahrain and KSA.
CREDITS
Client: Coca-Cola
Tolga Cebe – Marketing Director
Effie Kontopoulou – Coca-Cola Marketing Manager
Islam Eldessouly – IMC Manager
Amina Ijaz – Group Brand Manager
Sherif Ghanem – Media and Connections Manager
Ibrahim Wagdy – Brand Manager
Alexandra Saade – Creative Excellence
Omar Bennis – Public Affairs and Communications Director
Miriam Farshoukh – Public Affairs and Communications Manager
Creative Agency: FP7/Dxb
Josephine Younes – Associate Creative Director
Nayaab Rais – Associate Creative Director
Tarek Ali Ahmed – General Manager
Aya Shedid – Account Director
Tahaab Rais – Regional Head of Planning
