Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN)

The Replenish Africa Initiative (RAIN) is the The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation's flagship water program and is the umbrella under which all future water programs will fall. Launched in 2009, RAIN is a public-private partnership made possible through a six-year, $30 million commitment from The Coca-Cola Company. The initiative will provide sustainable, clean water sources, hygiene education and sanitation services to millions of people throughout Africa .

RAIN FAQs

What is RAIN?
RAIN is short for Replenish Africa Initiative which is the umbrella under which The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation (TCCAF) will implement its water, hygiene and sanitation programs in Africa.

RAIN is The Coca-Cola Company's response to the numerous water issues facing the African continent. Made possible by a $30 million, six-year commitment by The Coca-Cola Company, RAIN will focus on providing access to clean water, hygiene education and sustainable water sources to African countries in order to contribute to their efforts towards meeting the United Nations' Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) for water. TCCAF will create one of the largest ever public-private water focused partnerships to deliver its RAIN commitments and will collaborate with local and national governments, NGOs, community leaders and individuals to identify African communities with limited to no access to clean water and institute the appropriate programs to fit the needs of the target communities.
Why is The Coca-Cola Company (TCCC) concerned about water in Africa?
According to the World Health Organization, more than 300 million Africans lack access to safe drinking water and millions die each year from preventable waterborne illnesses. Up to half of the region's population at any one time suffers from diseases related to unsafe drinking water and poor sanitation. Between 2004 and 2015, the number of people living without access to water in sub-Saharan Africa is expected to increase by 47 million people. Africa is expected to miss the United Nations' MDGs target for access to clean drinking water by 111 million people and the sanitation target by 289 million if swift action is not taken.
What are the goals of RAIN?
By 2015, RAIN seeks to:
- Provide over 2 million people with access to clean water
- Launch over 100 healthy watershed and sustainable community water access, sanitation and hygiene programs across Africa
- Contribute to water that is available to communities across Africa
- Provide people with sanitation and hygiene education
How will RAIN achieve these goals?

TCCC has been supporting community initiatives, including water initiatives, for over 75 years. Starting 2009, the Company, committed $30 million over 6 years towards providing access to clean water, hygiene education and sustainable water sources to African.

TCCAF believes that in order to be successful in achieving these goals, RAIN must galvanize all stakeholders to act in support of these goals. In effect, TCCAF seeks to create a social movement comprised of committed individuals all advocating, volunteering and contributing towards the success of RAIN. These individuals will include Coca-Cola system employees, partners, NGOs, government officials and many others.

We will continue to partner with other organizations, government and communities. We will also use our marketing strength to elevate global awareness of the importance of addressing our water challenges and to raise funds to provide access to safe drinking water.

TCCC is encouraging all its employees to build upon our Live for a Difference ™ commitment which involves redesigning the way we work and live so that sustainability is part of everything we do.
What is the RAIN social movement?

The water challenge in Africa is huge and is worsening. TCCC has started the campaign but realizes that it will not be successful in making a difference on its own. The Coca-Cola Company recognizes the need for an extended campaign and the need for collective effort in managing the worsening situation. In addition to its extended campaign, TCCC will rally a broad base of stakeholders including governments, the corporate sector and communities. Water is a shared resource that, like any other natural resource, is under threat. The lack of access to clean drinking water is an important social issue. In order for the campaign to be successful, it will take the action and commitment of a dedicated group comprised of all stakeholders who share TCCC's ambition to make a positive difference in Africa.
What is a RAIN Maker?

RAIN Maker is the title given to a contributor, an advocate or volunteers in RAIN programs and initiatives. RAIN Makers are service-minded individuals committed to living for difference and making a positive difference in the lives of others. They dedicate their time, expertise and/or money to promoting RAIN water programs in Africa with the understanding that their actions will resonate around the world and improve not only the continent, but our entire society.
Who is leading the RAIN social movement?

The Coca-Cola Company's Chairman and CEO Mr. Muhtar Kent made the 1st public announcement of RAIN in March 2009, and committed the Company to achieving the goals of RAIN. Also involved in leading the RAIN social movement are Mr. Ahmet Bozer, President of the Eurasia and Africa Group of TCCC and Mr. William Asiko, President of TCCAF, as well as the 16-member Board of TCCAF Trustees, led by its Chairman and Coca-Cola South Africa Business Unit President, William Egbe. TCCAF's Board of Trustees leadership includes senior leaders from TCCC and its key Bottling partners in Africa and they include Alex Cummings, TCCC's Chief Administrative Officer, Curt Ferguson, President North West Africa Business Unit of TCCC; Nathan Kalumbu, President East and Central Africa Business Unit; Fanus Nothnagel, CEO Coca-Cola Sabco and Alfonso Libano, Chairman Equatorial Coca-Cola Bottling Company. Together, these are the leaders of the RAIN social movement.
What is the connection between RAIN and FIFA 2010 Football World Cup (FWC)?

RAIN has been selected by TCCC as its legacy program for the FIFA 2010 FWC. This event is viewed by TCCC, FIFA and the people of Africa as an African FWC. Therefore TCCC selected a PAN Africa community initiative (RAIN) as its legacy program. Entitled, RAIN, water for schools, the FIFA 2010 FWC legacy will provide water to schools in 15 African countries starting with South Africa in 2010.
What other types of projects does RAIN support?

RAIN supports projects funded by TCCAF or TCCC Business units in Africa that focus on:
- providing access to clean water and sanitation services,
- productive and sustainable water use, and
- watershed protection and hygiene education.

How many countries in Africa will benefit from the RAIN effort?

RAIN will start implementing projects in 12 countries in 2010 -- Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. In the next 5 years, RAIN will implement water projects and program throughout the rest of Africa.
Have some projects/communities already been selected?

Eight programs in Morocco, Egypt, Senegal, Nigeria, Zambia, Mali, Mozambique and South Africa are currently under implementation and due to be completed within 18 to 24 months of launching. In 2009, nine more RAIN programs will begin in Algeria, Angola, Egypt, Ghana, Kenya, Morocco, Mozambique, Nigeria, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia and Uganda. It is the goal of TCCAF that RAIN will spread to every country in Africa over its 6 year life span.
How many water projects has TCCAF so far implemented in Africa and where are they?

TCCAF has implemented 30 water projects in 19 African countries between 2006 and 2008 in Angola, Egypt, Ethiopia, Ghana, Cote d' Ivoire, Kenya, Mali, Malawi, Morocco, Mozambique, Niger, Nigeria, Rwanda, Senegal, South Africa, Tanzania, Tunisia, Uganda and Zambia.
How does TCCAF select communities and or countries to assist?

TCCAF identifies communities with insufficient access to clean water or no infrastructure and develops projects based on the needs of the community. The Coca-Cola Company recently launched a new online grant application system to identify and respond to community requests in a more timely and efficient manner and to easily determine whether a request for community support aligns with our global priority areas. Submit an application for review.
Will TCCAF continue to support other non water related programs?

While TCCAF has, and will continue to contribute to many community initiatives throughout Africa, including HIV/AIDS, malaria, education, entrepreneurship and humanitarian assistance, water is an area where we believe we can make a significant impact. TCCAF was established in 2001 to implement The Coca-Cola Company's community initiatives on the continent. To date, TCCAF has implemented over 130 programs in 32 countries across Africa and has reached over 1,000,000 people and will continue to support these programs.
Why did TCCC decide to take a leadership role in providing clean water to Africa?

TCCC is sensitive to the needs of each country that it serves and operates within. As one of Africa's largest employers and global water stewards, TCCC felt it was important to take a leadership role in the continent's current water issues. Investments in initiatives that improve community sustainability, such as RAIN, are critically important to TCCC's business. The Coca-Cola Company is a strong believer in sustainable communities, which are those communities that are economically, environmentally and socially healthy. When communities are sustainable, they yield sustainable business for TCCC.
Is this effort self-serving for TCCC?

Water is a key ingredient in the majority of The Coca-Cola Company's beverages and an essential part of its business. While TCCC does have a corporate interest in improving Africa's water issues, it has an equal interest in making a difference in the lives of millions of people that will eventually impact the rest of the world.
Is TCCC only concerned about water in Africa?

While water in Africa is a priority, TCCC has long been a part of the movement to provide water to all people around the world. In collaboration with its bottling partners, TCCC is working with the World Wildlife Fund, the United Nations Development Program, the Global Water Challenge, the Ocean Conservancy and others to protect watersheds and support initiatives that bring clean water and sanitation to underserved areas all over the world. Since 2005, TCCC has developed significant partnerships that have led to the implementation of more than 200 water projects in 60 countries in Africa, Latin America, Asia and the Middle East.
What other corporations are participating in the RAIN Movement?

TCCC and TCCAF are the primary organizations leading the RAIN movement. The RAIN Movement has also recently been joined by funding partners such as UNICEF, Etisalat, DFID, ECHO, SIDA, Catholic Relief Services as well as national governments such as in Mozambique. We are currently in discussions with other corporations doing business in Africa, such as Diageo and SABMiller to collaborate with us on RAIN and continue to welcome the opportunity to work with other interested corporations.
What else is The Coca-Cola Company doing about water stewardship?

RAIN complements The Coca-Cola Company's water stewardship goal of balancing the amount of water it returns to nature with that used in the production of its beverages. TCCC's strategy for achieving this goal has three components:
Reduce – Improving water efficiency by 20 percent by 2012, compared to baseline year 2004.

Recycle – Returning all water the Company uses for manufacturing processes to the environment at a level that supports aquatic life and agriculture by the end of 2010.

Replenish – Expanding the Company's support of healthy watersheds and sustainable community water programs to balance the water used in its finished beverages.

As of December 1, 2008, 255,000 people in communities across 19 countries in Africa have access to improved water supply, 40,000 people have access to improved sanitation and 440,000 hectares of land are under improved management.
Is all the money for RAIN coming from TCCC or TCCAF?

The initial $30 million contribution is from TCCC; however, TCCAF is reaching out to other interested development partners to co-finance RAIN, and enable the initiative to do even more. While TCCAF is fully funded by TCCC, the Foundation has implemented numerous successful water projects in partnership with and co-funded by USAID under WADA, an alliance between TCCC, TCCAF and USAID on community water.
Does TCCAF contribute money to other water initiatives?

Going forward all water programs funded by TCCAF will be implemented under RAIN.
Will $30 million dollars be enough to make a difference?

TCCC's $30 million is a great starting point for implementing RAIN projects in Africa, but additional contributions will be needed in order to meet many of the water needs of the continent.
Will RAIN interfere with local governments' clean water programs?

Both the Foundation and local governments share the same objective, providing clean water to the people of Africa. TCCAF is in no way trying to interfere with current government water projects. In fact, the Foundation's goal is to partner with local governments and other organizations to develop new, or expand current, water programs that will fit the needs of the people within each at-risk country.

Download The Coca-Cola Foundation's Sustainability Report (PDF)

Learn more about The Coca-Cola Africa Foundation.