Coca-Cola Beverages Africa boosts women in business

Kampala, Uganda | Julius Businge | In a bid to boost trade CocaCola Beverages Africa has (Feb.27) handed over coolers to women as part of its corporate social responsibility function. The company has this year alone issued out 1851 coolers to its customers across the country to aid their sales and boost growth of business. Women in the company’s retail category form a big part of its business and are therefore beneficiaries of this process. This is part of a bigger Coca-Cola initiative called 5 by 20.

This initiative is the company’s global commitment to enable the economic empowerment of five million women entrepreneurs across the company’s value chain by the year 2020. “Women around the world are already pillars of our business system and are part of our women economic empowerment program,” Flavia Nabaasa, the business development and commercialization director for CCBA said. Nabaasa said that small shops (Dukas) are the most common outlets selling their beverages, making up 50% of all outlets in Uganda.

Maureen Kyomuhendo, the deputy public affairs and communications director at CCBA said that through 5 by 20, the company is addressing common barriers that women face in business including the lack of basic business skills, lack of financial assets and the failure to have peer to peer networks and mentorship. Joyce Kizza, one of the first beneficiaries of this initiative said CCBA’s tangible support has helped her business to thrive and urged the company to continue offering the support.