02-10-2014
National Beverage Company Coca-Cola/Cappy Distributes More than 5,000 School Bags
Ramallah – Al-Hayat Economic - The National Beverage Company Coca-Cola /Cappy (NBC) has distributed more than 5,000 school bags to school students as part of the “Back to School” Campaign organized by NBC annually. The campaign was implemented in collaboration with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education and Basmat Amal Society for Cancer Patient Care. The Company has distributed 4,000 school bags to schools of the Directorates of Education in the West Bank in cooperation with the Ministry of Education and Higher Education. Moreover, more than 1,000 school bags were distributed to students, sick children and orphans in hospitals, orphanages and charity associations in the Gaza Strip, in cooperation with Basmat Amal Society for Cancer Patient Care, in addition to a number of charities in the West Bank.
On this occasion, NBC General Manager, Mr. Imad Al-Hindi stated: "The new academic year begins under harsh conditions experienced by students and their families in the Gaza Strip, after more than fifty days of Israeli aggression and the refuge of hundreds of thousands of Gazans to live in schools. Therefore, the Company has paid special attention to our students with the aim of preparing them and their colleagues in the West Bank to begin the new academic year with high spirits and trying to bring about happiness to their hearts."
Mr. Al-Hindi hoped that the campaign could contribute to raising the morale of the students, especially those in the Gaza Strip along with their families as well as supporting them to overcome the ordeal in order to continue with their learning journey and look forward to the new academic year with hope. Mr. Al-Hindi seized the opportunity of the new academic year to congratulate the students and teaching staff in both Palestinian territories, stressing the importance of paying attention to students’ situation in Gaza by providing them with financial and moral support in order to pursue their education, which is a powerful tool in every citizen’s hands. Mr. Al-Hindi confirmed that the Company was fully prepared to utilize all its resources to participate in the reconstruction of Gaza Strip and to provide the fundamentals of a decent life for Gazans and their children, again after the aggression.
Mr. Al-Hindi indicated that the process of choosing the beneficiary students in the Directorates of Education in the provinces of the West Bank was developed in cooperation with the Ministry of Education in accordance with social and economic bases and criteria to include all the groups in need. He confirmed that the NBC’s care to work side by side with the Ministry of Education with a view to support orphan and needy students and support their noble course to learning which will help bring up an educated and intellectual generation capable to continue the process of building and development. Moreover, Mr. Al-Hindi explained that the Company has worked in cooperation with Basmat Amal Society for Cancer Patient Care in the Gaza strip for the purpose of distributing bags to cancer patient kids, kids with special needs and orphans of Gaza. Bags have been distributed to children in hospitals, orphanages, centers and schools for children of special needs. Mr. Al-Hindi praised Basmat Alamal Society for providing help to children, especially cancer patients.
On her part, Dr. Khawla Al-Shakhshir, Minister of Education and Higher Education commended the positive and dedicated role played by the National Beverage Company Coca Cola /Cappy, in addition to its constant cooperation with the Ministry in providing financial and moral support to a series of academic and cooperative programs with a view to alleviate the burdens off the Palestinian students especially in light of the difficult economic circumstances they are experiencing.
Dr. Al-Shakhshir considered this project as an embodiment of the principle of active partnership between the Ministry and the Company on the bases of social responsibility principle in order to serve the education sector and working on education development, especially in remote areas called (C) regions.
In the same context, she called upon all institutions of the private sector to promote their partnership with the Ministry and contribute to providing services to education as the solid base for developing the local community and the backbone to achieve comprehensive and sustainable development.
On his part, Mr. Sami JoJo, Coordinator of the Basmat Amal Society for Cancer Patient Care, thanked the National Beverages Company Coca Cola/Cappy for its efforts which aim to support the continuation of the education process especially amongst sick and orphan students. He expressed his hope for the continuation of such campaigns to benefit the largest possible number of students and encourage them to continue their learning regardless of their tough circumstances.
The NBC is persistent in organizing the “Back to School” campaign as an annual tradition to which it has been committed throughout the past years with the aim of provide the necessary support and motivation to Palestinian students in their education process, and also in support to the low income Palestinian families and marginalized groups in the provinces of the West Bank and Gaza Strip.
