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17-04-2014


National Beverage Company and INJAZ Palestine launch the 5th Season of Ripples of Happiness Program




Participants in the Project
 
Ramallah –Al-Ayyam: The National Beverage Company Coca Cola/Cappy and INJAZ Palestine launched 5th Season of the training program Ripples of Happiness  aiming at empowering young university and college students to take the initiative and take part in the societal development process and in making a positive change in their communities.
 
In  a recent press release, the NBC stated that: "The students participating in the training program will receive instructions and mentorship by volunteer trainers from a various local companies and establishments in order to refine their skills in several areas such as public relations, creative solution development to address challenges facing local communities, especially marginalized and rural areas, development projects planning and management, projects studying and budgeting, search for funding opportunities,  and engaging local community groups in developing solutions and initiatives, as well as identifying the required tools to measure the success of a project and ensure its sustainability.” NBC indicated that the participants in the 5th Season of Ripples of Happiness include six groups coming from Palestine Technical University – Khadoori, Birzet University, and the branches of Al-Quds Open University in Tulkarem, Jenin, Hebron and Nablus.
 
NBC explained that the Program was concurrently launched in several Arab countries, including Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, Lebanon, and Jordan. The wining projects will be selected at the level of participant universities in the Arab world according to clear and specific evaluation standards. Such standards are based on measuring the extent of benefit obtained by local communities from these projects, and the projects sustainability, as well as their capability to engage the community in the project implementation process.
 
Mr. Imad al-Hindi, General Manager of National Beverage Company  confirmed that Ripples of Happiness program which was developed by Coca Cola Foundation and INJAZ Al-Arab was in line with the established vision of NBC based on promoting participation in the sustainable society development, and added: "the program provide the students from our Palestinian universities and institutes with the opportunity to learn a wide range of concepts and skills about social responsibility, project planning and management, as well as instilling the principle of taking initiative to achieve sustainable community development and their ability to create solutions for the problems facing the community".
 
Mr. al-Hindi went on to say: "The importance of promoting the role of young people increases day after day in their local communities, which makes Ripples of Happiness  an important program to help young people enhance their role in the civil society. We are confident that our young students have the spirit and initiative to develop their society. Therefore, we are honoured to continue this partnership with INJAZ Palestine, and to provide the required support for Ripples of Happiness program to continue, especially that our students have come up with creative ideas to help their society.  They have achieved high ranks in the competition at the Arab world level the previous years, which strengthen our belief that it is necessary for the program to continue".
 
On her part, Ms. Randa Salameh, General Manager of INJAZ Palestine, praised the productive and continuous partnership with the National Beverage Company Coca Cola/Cappy and asserted the importance of Ripples of Happiness program which provides the students of Palestinian universities and colleges with an outstanding opportunity for qualification and capacity development in order to initiate constructive and pioneering projects that contribute to developing the society and the various sectors. 
 
Ms. Salameh said: "The Ripples of Happiness program targets this category of young people, while they are in young age, the stage of building their personality and capacity, and they have the highest level of their energy and creativity. At this very stage, they need to refine their skills and be motivate to enable them provide their pioneering initiatives and projects, and install the sense of responsibility to effect a positive change in their communities".  Moreover, Ms. Salamah commended the role of volunteer trainers who dedicate their time and effort for the success of the program and to enable the students to provide pioneering initiatives to serve the society".
 
Ripples of Happiness concluded its 4th Season this year by adopting a set of distinctive projects and excellent results. The Bassma and Basma (Imprint & Smile) Project presented by the students of Palestine Polytechnic University attained the fourth position in the level of Arab universities. The idea of the project is to rehabilitate the garden of Al Rajaa' (Hope) Centre affiliated to the Red Crescent Society in Hebron, to provide young people with special needs to conveniently use it.