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Coca-Cola China assists AIDS orphans

By Bao Wanxian (China Daily)
Updated: 2009-11-23 08:03

He is known for working to help children orphaned by AIDS in Africa, England and China. He has been to China's rural areas numerous times to meet and assist affected children.

He is also president of the China branch of the world's largest beverage company.

Under the leadership of Doug Jackson, Coca-Cola China has undertaken wide-ranging efforts to assist the orphans, some of whom carry the virus themselves.

Recent programs include a third annual charitable golf tournament to raise money in partnership with the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STD and AIDS and the Player Foundation started by golfing legend Gary Player.

It was a small part of the Coca-Cola program to help orphans and also a small part of the company's corporate social responsibility activities in China.

"Over the past two years, we have provided a wide variety of support for AIDS orphans in Yunnan, Hubei, Anhui and Xinjiang through this event. We expect to expand support over the next year and help more affected children live a better life," Jackson said.

"Coca-Cola strives to be responsible in its business operations and at the same time respond to needs in the greater community," he added.

In the past two years, Coca-Cola China has been working in partnership with the Player Foundation to raise money for the AIDS Orphans Program administered by the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STD and AIDS.

The program provides financial aid, medical assistance and psychological counseling to the children. It has collected more than 6.5 million yuan over the past two years. And the money collected this year has already surpassed 13.5 million yuan.

"Though we are all experiencing a tough time during the economic downturn, we have received great support from corporate donors such as Coca-Cola," said Ren Dequan, vice-president of the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STD and AIDS.

The benefit tournament Gary Player Invitational has now assisted more than 2,000 AIDS orphans.

Player said it was a great honor for his foundation to develop the partnership with Coca-Cola in China.

Since 2002, South African-born Player and Coca-Cola have partnered to hold fundraising events for needy children around the world.

According to Jackson, the involvement of Coca-Cola China with HIV/AIDS programs began in 2003 when the company supported the International Seminar on HIV/AIDS and SARS at Tsinghua University.

In 2005, Coca-Cola and the Chinese Foundation for the Prevention of STD and AIDS began a nationwide program to enhance awareness and prevention, targeting women and young adults in more than 100 cities.

In 2006, Coca-Cola China began supporting a program in a Yunnan village that helps 199 AIDS-affected orphans through education and medical help.

"Everybody can make contribution to the AIDS kids," said Jackson. "It is hard to measure the achievements of our anti-AIDS activities, but the orphan program will be non-stop work for Coca-Cola in China."