Coca-Cola Participates in the Social Integration of 75 Low-Income Students in Colombia

February 5, 2008

In an effort to help integrate vulnerable social groups into Colombian society, Coca-Cola Servicios de Colombia, Coca-Cola FEMSA, FundaColombia, the Juan Bosco Obrero Center and Alta Consejería para la Reintegración or High Council for Reintegration (ACR, according to the Spanish acronym) are working together to train 75 Gastronomy Technicians in Ciudad Bolívar.

The Juan Bosco Obrero Center Training Program carried out every year will now allow instruction for 75 low-income students from poverty-stricken sectors -- many of whom will become part of civil society for the first time after years of surviving within Colombia's internal conflict -- through a work-oriented, 15-month Gastronomy Technicians course.

Coca-Cola in Colombia began partnering with the Juan Bosco Obrero Center in 2006. In choosing this partner, it considered the fact that the Juan Bosco Obrero Center is an institution with ample experience in providing work-oriented training to low-income individuals. Last year, Coca-Cola in Colombia contributed so that 100 students from Ciudad Bolívar graduate as Mechanical Maintenance Technicians through the Juan Bosco Obrero Training Center Program. The students received practical and useful instruction in the areas of Electronics, Electricity, Hydraulics, Pneumatics and Machines. The knowledge gained of these subjects allowed the students to reach the labor markets.